Youth Frontier is a program that partners with schools to build communities where students thrive socially, emotionally and academically. They offer a one-day retreat to help improve the values in students grades 4-12. Rockbrook, Loveland and Swanson Elementary teamed up to host the Kindness retreat for 4th graders.

For the one-day retreat, high school students were asked to volunteer to be small group leaders, and help with the program. The goal of bringing the Youth Frontier program to the district is to help show ways of improving communication throughout the community and to have students become accountable for their behaviors, as well as standing up for others. Rockbrook principal Garret Higginbotham, helped to coordinate and prepare for the one-day retreat for the 4th graders.

“Here at Rockbrook we work on social, emotional learning and anti-bullying opportunities to learn strategies on how to work through problems but also on how to seek adult help when necessary,” Higginbotham said. “The program was a nice opportunity to build pieces at each grade level to promote social and emotional help. This program was a way to help develop unique opportunity to show the character in our students.”

During the retreat, high school students were asked to help lead small group discussions, as well as be involved while participating in games, large group activities and being a leader for the students.

Sophomore Jaylen Knight was one of the students who volunteered at the retreat. Throughout the whole day, she noticed how much fun the kids were having and loved being able to experience the retreat with them. Youth Frontier had an impact on both the students attending and the high school students that are involved.

“Going to the kindness retreat for the students impacted me in a good way and made me feel like we made a difference in their lives,” Knight said. “I wish we would’ve had it when I was in elementary school because it was a fun way of teaching kindness and manners, and since they had so much fun they’ll remember that day and the things they learned.”

The goal for the upcoming years are to have the Youth Frontier program spread throughout the district and to have high school student volunteers help as well.

After hearing about Youth Frontiers and doing research, principal Russ Olsen at Westside Middle School decided to set up a date for a Courage Retreat.

This retreat is set up for Jan. 19-21. If interested in volunteering, contact Mike McCann.