Healthy Kids Colorado Survey Sparks New Attention, Controversy
For many years, the Healthy Kids Colorado survey has provided insights on the behaviors, attitudes and perceptions of the state’s middle and high school students. This year, the survey has been receiving more attention — and controversy — than ever over the content of some of its questions.
Michelle Stecher, the executive director of Mountain Youth, said that this year the survey has become “more of a hot topic than we’ve ever experienced before.”
Mountain Youth has served a unique role in the administration of the survey for the Eagle County community. Acting as a liaison between the schools and the state, the local nonprofit helps schedule the surveys, brings in volunteers to act as proctors for the survey and contracts an outside firm to locally assess the data gathered from students. Mountain Youth has acted in this role for the last seven surveys.
Over the years, this data has been used to secure funding and launch critical youth services in the community, Stecher said, adding that this has included Eagle Valley Behavioral Health and the addition of more counselors into schools.
