We can’t deny we’re very proud of our West Slope Youth Voice students this week! If you live in the Grand Junction area, you’ve probably heard about the controversy which arose over the promised healthcare center at the new Grand Junction High School (GJHS). Central High School has had the benefits of an in-school healthcare center for some time now, so we have real data about how these healthcare centers help students. But a conservative majority of the District 51 School Board voted against the healthcare center, and it looked like local students were going to be the ultimate losers in a battle that had largely lost sight of their needs.

But our West Slope Youth Voice students refused to admit defeat and fought at every opportunity to have their voices heard. They organized their peers. They wrote letters. They reached out to community leaders.

Imagine, then, the reaction when one of the conservative Board members signaled he had changed his mind regarding the healthcare center. On June 20, following more testimony from West Slope Youth Voice students, the entire School Board reversed their original position and approved the healthcare center!

However, our students know: The story isn’t over yet. “When looking at the GJHS health clinic, it is important to realize that overall, the support from the school board is a win for students. … However, it is also important to recognize potential issues moving forward in order to remain focused on the goal of providing the best health care to students.” As described in a recent op-ed in the Daily Sentinel, the students still harbor major concerns over how the healthcare center will be implemented. West Slope Youth Voice will continue to monitor developments and will continue to work on this issue as long as it takes.

These students are heroes — but they can’t do what they do in a vacuum. Your help can make a real difference in creating more victories like this one. Please consider a donation to Western Colorado Alliance to support the work of West Slope Youth Voice! Let’s show Western Colorado’s students that we have their back!