News

Aspen Youth Experience Spring '09 Update: Looking Ahead

STRATEGIC VISION AND CHANGES FOR 2009

Given the economic outlook and our youth’s persistent need, we are proactively making strategic changes now to significantly reduce our expenses, maintain high quality services, and position AYE for the future. We have decreased programming, fundraising and administrative expenses, and lowered our total payroll. We have also constructed a new program schedule, increased our focus on cost-effective city-based programs, and increased our services to meet the growing need in the Roaring Fork Valley.

With these strategic changes, AYE will cut total projected expenses by 37%. Yet despite these cuts, we will serve the same number of youth as last year, provide over 100 days of programming, reduce our average program cost- per-youth served by 50%, and provide more services to more youth in the Roaring Fork Valley and Kansas City than ever before. And with your continued support this year, we will be poised to increase services in 2010 and beyond without relying on exorbitant increases in financial resources.

THE AYE PROGRAMMING PLAN IN 2009

We believe at-risk youth experience lasting change through ongoing interaction and long-term involvement. As such, our programming in 2009 includes the following:

¨ Winter Program (January)

¨ Roaring Fork Valley three-day hut trip (March)

¨ Follow-up sessions and life-skill workshops in each partner region (Monthly)

¨ Day programs in each partner region (April - May)

¨ College Scholarships: $48,500 awarded to 15 recipients (April)

¨ Roaring Fork Valley Latino Youth Camp (June)

¨ Kansas City Youth Experience five-day program (June)

¨ New Roaring Fork Valley “I Have a Dream” week-long day camp (July)

¨ Day programs and Winter Program orientations in each partner region (October - November)

¨ Alumni and youth services and follow-through (Year-round)

This year, in place of our traditional Summer Program, we will conduct a new week-long day camp for at-risk youth in the Roaring Fork Valley. While we plan to bring back the traditional Summer Program structure in 2010, we are excited to have a new opportunity for youth in the valley with the inaugural “I Have a Dream” day camp. Additionally, in 2009 we will increase the intensiveness and engagement of our monthly Follow-up sessions. We will include community service projects more extensively throughout our curricula. We will utilize new technologies to significantly improve our alumni connectivity and participant follow-through. In 2010, we will build on all of this year’s programming to serve more youth, more consistently throughout the year, year after year into adulthood.

ADAPTING AND THRIVING IN TIMES OF CHANGE

In the face of challenging times, the strategic changes we are making provide AYE with the opportunity to serve at-risk youth now and into the future. For over 17 years, thanks to so many dedicated donors, sponsors, and volunteers, AYE has empowered youth to achieve their full potential, built young leaders, and effected change in communities across the country and the Roaring Fork Valley. As we look forward, our priority remains our youth. And just as our youth have learned, AYE is a family that will continue to pull together and overcome the obstacles we face in order to succeed.

Thank you to all our friends and family for your passionate support! You enable AYE to be persistent and flexible in our pursuit of making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth.

David Wiedinmyer

Executive Director

Aspen Chamber Resort Association Named AYE as 2008 Non-profit of the year!

Aspen Youth Experience’s stated goal is to reach out to at-risk teens from across the United States and the Roaring Fork Valley, empowering them to overcome their obstacles, and visualize and achieve their potential.

Since 1991, professionals, volunteers, mentors, and programs have taught youths to be responsible for the choices they make and not be limited by their environment.

Since its inception, more than 2,000 youths have participated in Aspen Youth Experience programs. They have come to Aspen from communities in Denver, New York City, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Kansas City, San Francisco, New Orleans, various Native American reservations and the Roaring Fork Valley.

Aspen Youth Experience partners with local nonprofit organizations or schools in each city it serves. Working with those partner agencies, Aspen Youth Experience identifies, encourages, and prepares youths in need of a unique opportunity, and then helps to create a network of support and follow through that participants can depend on into their adult lives.