Governor Jared Polis Kicks off Celebrate Colorado Weekend with Visits to Fort Collins, Loveland, & Longmont with Treasurer Young
Highlights Polis Administration’s Transformative Support for Behavioral Health, Workforce Development & Education
LOVELAND — Today, Governor Polis and Treasurer Dave Young visited the Governor’s Art Show in Loveland to kick off Celebrate Colorado weekend, and toured regional sites providing innovative, efficient, and high-quality services to Coloradans in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Longmont. Governor Polis and Treasurer Young also toured the future site of a behavioral health clinic, visited a workforce development center, and discussed innovative education programs that support college and career readiness for Colorado students.
“Celebrate Colorado is an exciting and fun opportunity to honor the resilience Coloradans have shown after the past two years, and it was an honor to kick off this statewide celebration at the Governor’s Art Show in Loveland,” said Gov. Polis. “We are working hard to save people money, provide behavioral health services, elevate workforce opportunities and high quality opportunities for Coloradans and our students.”
Celebrate Colorado is a weekend-long statewide celebration from May 6th - 8th, 2022, with free and discounted activities for Coloradans to enjoy in their communities. Coloradans have shown resilience, strength, and compassion over the challenging past two years, and Celebrate Colorado is a great opportunity for families, friends, neighbors, and communities to come together in celebration.
“Today we’re putting federal dollars into action for a recovery that is based directly on what Coloradans told us was most important to them,” said Treasurer Dave Young. “Last year, we heard from Coloradans around the state during the Build Back Stronger Statewide Listening Tour. What we’re seeing today is those recommendations being put to work.”
Gov. Polis and Treasurer Young visited the Larimer County Behavioral Health Site, which when completed, will address existing gaps in behavioral health services for youth, and develop the behavioral health talent pipeline for the future by increasing paid training opportunities for students pursuing behavioral health-related careers. They then toured the Thompson Career Campus to discuss the proposed K-12 Workforce Development Center, a site working to create meaningful employment opportunities in Larimer County.
“We were very excited to welcome Governor Polis to Thompson School District to meet some of our incredible students, tour our amazing Thompson Career Campus, and experience several of our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. This proposed American Rescue Plan Act project would help us to further transform CTE offerings to residents throughout the region,” said Dr. Marc Schaffer, Thompson School District Superintendent. “We are proud of the relationships we have built with our business and community partners and we look forward to continuing our work with them as we enhance these important opportunities."
“What sets this project apart is that it is intended for not just students in two Northern Colorado school districts but also adults. To be truly transformative and create opportunities for employees and employers alike, we must tap into the passions and skills of all – first ensuring access for all to achieve that,” said Brian Kingsley, Poudre School District Superintendent. “This project has the power to change our region’s economic trajectory for generations to come, and I am so grateful for the partners who have come together around this vision.”
"We were honored to have Governor Polis visit the future site of Larimer County's Behavioral Health Services Facility today. We are excited about the possibility of collaborating with the State on Phase Two of the campus which would provide much needed day services and short term respite beds for youth in our county. This taxpayer funded initiative will not only serve those with behavioral health needs but will also provide paid internships and 180 + new jobs in our community," said Kristin Stephens, Larimer County Commissioner.
After visiting the Governor’s Art Show at the Loveland Art Museum, Governor Polis and Treasurer Young toured the St. Vrain Valley Schools Innovation Center, Colorado’s largest K-12 learning center for the state's fastest growing STEM fields, including aerospace, cybersecurity, AI, biosciences, entrepreneurship, robotics, and information technology.
“It is through our public schools that Colorado’s economy and future workforce will be highly prepared to meet the demands of our rapidly changing, highly-competitive, and globalized world,” said Don Haddad, Ed.D., St. Vrain Valley Schools Superintendent. “In St. Vrain Valley Schools, we are laser focused on ensuring that all students have access to a rigorous, high-quality education, bolstered by robust innovation, internships, and work experiences in advanced, high-growth industries such as aerospace, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, energy technologies, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and biomedical sciences. We are developing and inspiring in our students a strong competitive advantage in order for them to be extremely well-equipped to compete with anyone, anywhere, for any job in the world."