First Ascent Youth Leadership Program
June 22-27, 2025
Learn to be a leader!
Spend a fun week at CMC Spring Valley at Glenwood Springs making new friends while learning practical leadership skills through outdoor activities. Experience five days on a college campus and return home with new confidence in your abilities as a leader. The best news? It's free!
Get outside while learning new skills!
During the program, you'll get to:
- Team-build and gain leadership skills
- Rock climb in Rifle Mountain Park
- Raft the Colorado River
- Hike the Roaring Fork Valley
This free program is available to current (spring 2025) 8th and 9th grade students from our CMC in-district schools in these in-district counties: Pitkin, Garfield, Summit, Lake, Eagle, Chaffee, and Routt. This is a competitive program, spots are limited.
Each year, four participants from the prior year come back to act as peer counselors, taking the learning a step further. One former participant is chosen each year to assist the facilitator. Once they turn 18, past participants can come back as staff counselors. Acting as mentors for a new group students brings the lessons full circle.
Applications are closed for 2025.
Sign up to be notified when applications open next year!