MISSION
To make a positive difference in the lives of the youth of Routt County by facilitating one-to-one partnerships between adult volunteers and youth.

VISION
All Routt County youth will be empowered to live healthy, productive lives, to contribute to their community and to successfully pursue their dreams.
 

History

In 1996, a group of concerned local citizens came together with the purpose of starting a youth mentoring organization in Routt County. After researching several models, they contacted Partners Mentoring Association (PMA) and were given the advice, encouragement and guidelines to help develop the One-to-One Youth Mentoring Program. PRC was formed in 1996 and granted 501(c)(3) status by the IRS.

Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC) and PRC collaborated to offer the School-Based Mentoring Program for five years until RMYC acknowledged that to ensure the sustainability of School-Based Mentoring, it was best to hand the program over to the "mentoring experts". In July of 2006, PRC assumed all fiscal and programmatic responsibility of School-Based Mentoring. Therefore, the 2008-2009 school year marks PRC's third year of being wholly responsible for all aspects of the program. In 2009, PRC celebrates 13 years of youth mentoring, serving youth throughout Routt County, year round.
 

Staff

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Libby Foster: Libby is Executive Director of Partners in Routt County. She was PRC's Case Manager for over 3 years before being hired as Director. Her job responsibilities include: developing strong agency capacity, developing and maintaining effective community partnerships, planning for sustainable resource development, ensuring quality programming and effective program evaluation.

Libby earned a B.A. in Biology and a M.A. in Teaching Secondary Science at Colorado College. She has experience as the Education Coordinator and YES (Young Environmental Stewards) Director at The Catamount Institute, has been a middle school teacher in a low socio-economic and ethnically diverse Colorado school district, served as conservation coordinator for a Vermont land trust, and conducted wildlife research in Florida, South America, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Botswana.

Melissa Calhoon: Melissa is Partners' AmeriCorps School-Based Mentoring Program Manager. She manages the AmeriCorps School-Based Mentoring Program, a program that places 6 mentors in the 3 Routt County middle schools on a full-time, year-round basis. Melissa has been a Senior Partner for over four years now and four years ago she herself served as an AmeriCorps School-Based Mentor.

Melissa has a B.S. in Parks and Recreation from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Before working with Partners, Melissa has worked with youth in the Steamboat area for over three years as a School-Based Mentor, Assistant Director of Kids Adventure Club, Youth Program Specialist for the City of Steamboat and Treatment Counselor at Shiloh Home, Inc.

Erin Murphy: Erin is the One-to-One Case Manager for Partners in Routt County. She handles all Junior Partner referral and intake procedures as well as Senior Partner screening and training. Erin also creates our partnerships and monitors all unmatched and 1st year matched Junior and Senior Partner caseloads.

Erin has a B.A. in Social Sciences from Mesa State College. Erin has extensive work experience with at-risk children as well as children with special needs. She has worked as a youth counselor in treatment centers for at risk and emotionally disturbed adolescents in Fort Collins, and has worked extensively with special needs children and children with autism spectrum disorders in both Colorado and Hawaii. Erin is involved with the Yampa Valley Autism Program in Steamboat Springs. She has also worked with developmentally disabled adults at Horizons Specialized Services and as a job coach for the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation in Steamboat.

Kristin Stange: Kristin is the 2009-2010 Americorps VISTA volunteer serving as the Community Outreach Assistant. Her role at Partners includes producing the bi-monthly newsletter, organizing events and fundraisers, managing community contacts, assisting with grant writing and coordinating the Discount Program. 

A 2008 grduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Kristin holds degrees in English and Communications.  She previously worked as a coordinator of cultural and academic mentoring programs and in non-profit Public Relations for the University of Wisconsin, and in the International Education field in Austin, TX.  In her free time, Kristin loves to horseback ride, ski, dance, and cook.

Karin E. Koop, LLC: Karin is the Bookkeeper for Partners. She handles all accounts payable, receivable, payroll taxes, and grant reimbursements.

Karin has been an independent bookkeeper for 3 years and has several clients in Steamboat Springs. Karin gained her BF in Business from New Hampshire College.

Board of Directors

Jane Toothaker, President (Executive Director, Northwest Colorado BOCES)

Maureen Maloney, Vice President (Educator, Holy Name Catholic Church)

Lee Cox, Secretary (Math Teacher, Lowell Whiteman School, Instructor, Steamboat Ski and Resort Corps)

Allison St. John, Treasurer (CPA, Blue Sage Tax and Accounting, LLC. and TIC)

Libbie Miller (District Wildlife Manager, Colorado Division of Wildlife)

Margi Briggs-Casson (Counselor, Steamboat Springs Middle School)

Sheila Wright (Development Director, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps)

Brent Boyer (Editor, Steamboat Pilot and Today)

Greg Johnson (Teacher, Hayden Middle School)

Torey Wodnik (Leisure Sales Manager, Sheraton Steamboat Resort and Villas)

Partners Across Colorado

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2007-2009 Strategic Plan

We have evaluated our strengths and weaknesses, taken stock of our current programs, brainstormed different ways in which we might grow, and prioritized areas of focus. This is a "living document", first created in January 2005, and is revised annually by the Board of Directors and staff to reflect updated issues, challenges and opportunities.
Over the next three years, we will continue to focus our efforts on five goals that represent the foundations of successful youth mentoring:
1) Develop strong agency capacity
2) Align practices with proven program design
3) Develop and maintain effective community partnerships
4) Plan for sustainable resource development
5) Implement useful program evaluation.
We are committed to maintaining and strengthening our mentoring programs that makes a positive difference for the youth of Routt County. We are grateful to the Partners' board, staff, volunteers, youth, friends, supporters, and all other stakeholders who make this meaningful work possible.

Download the 2008-2010 Strategic Plan (doc)

Diversity Resolution and Code of Ethics

To read about Partners' commitment to respecting and embracing diversity, please read our Diversity Resolution stated below. All board, staff, volunteers, and participating youth agree to adhere to this important resolution.
Be it resolved that volunteers for Partners in Routt County agree to respect and comply with Partners in Routt County's Diversity Resolution which states the following: Partners in Routt County is an organization that respects diversity, abhors discrimination, and promotes tolerance for all persons without distinction of any kind, including, but not limited to, race, color, creed, age, national origin, allegiance, or citizenship status, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. All Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and youth participants of Partners in Routt County strive to treat all persons with respect and dignity, and to ensure that all Routt County residents have open access, and feel welcome, to participate in our mentoring programs.
On May 15th, 2006, the Partners in Routt County Board of Directors adopted a Code of Ethics that documents our organization's commitments related to personal and professional behavior, governance, legal compliance, responsible stewardship, openness and disclosure, program evaluation, inclusiveness and diversity and fundraising. Please find the document linked below.