Colorado 12-18 Year Olds Can Now Apply for the Teen Action Council

Rise Above Colorado is now accepting applications for our Teen Action Council, a statewide leadership opportunity for youth ages 12-18. Our goal is a Teen Action Council that is representative of Colorado including all races, genders, economic background, substance use background, academic standing, etc. 

The deadline to submit an application is May 8th 2026!

2026-2027 Teen Action Council Application – Fill out form

Who should apply?

• Someone who has a passion for preventing youth substance use and promoting mental health and well-being. 
• Interested in building leadership skills, using their voices to create change, and exploring their personal identity, goals, and values. 

What do Teen Action Council members do?

• Educational resource delivery: Teen Action Council members will be trained and supported by Rise Above Colorado staff to facilitate Rise Above Colorado educational resources in their local communities. Our resources cover topics such as appropriate use of prescription medications, critical thinking skills, Colorado youth substance use trends, and much more. 
• Share youth perspective: Additionally, members will provide input, feedback, and ideas towards ongoing Rise Above Colorado projects and initiatives. We highly value the thoughts and opinions of Teen Action Council members which are integral in informing Rise Above Colorado prevention messaging and strategy. 
• Explore prevention methods: Teen Action Council members will learn about upstream prevention, overdose prevention, and different ways of engaging with communities to improve health outcomes. 

When are meetings?

• Members participate in four in-person weekend meetings:
• August, October, January, and April 
• During these weekends, you will connect with other passionate teens, grow as leaders, and take part in fun evening activities. 
• Members will also join monthly Zoom meetings to stay engaged and continue work between in-person meetings.
• September, November, December, February, March

Are members paid?

• Participants receive a $1,000 stipend to compensate for their participation and engagement. Travel costs are supported, including mileage reimbursement and hotel accommodations for those traveling to meetings.

Please be encouraged to reach out to our Manager of Youth Engagement, Angelica Ochoa (angelica@riseaboveco.org) with any questions you may have!

The New Not Prescribed:

Some updates you should know about

We’re thrilled to share that the launch of RAC’s new Not Prescribed is going well! 

Not Prescribed is a science-based, trauma-informed resource that educates youth about prescription drugs and how they can be informed and empowered to take action against the dangers of prescription drug misuse.

Highlights to our recent revisions include: The tone and vibe of Not Prescribed has shifted and broadened - misusing prescription drugs can have significant consequences AND young people are using their knowledge and skills to make positive changes and improve outcomes within this space. New content includes 5 youth-informed, engaging videos.

New accessibility features include: New content is designed for classroom/group AND self-paced facilitation, full content (including retrospective post survey) is available with or without voice over is available in English & Spanish. Scripted, easy-to-follow facilitation guide is available in English & Spanish.

Early reach + impact data includes: 500+ youth have engaged in our new Not Prescribed since mid-February. Students at Yuma HS, Sterling MS (8^th graders), Legacy HS (Broomfield), Ft. Collins HS, Montbello HS (Denver) have engaged in this important resource. We’ve also received completed retrospective survey from teens who found the resource online and logged in from home! Not Prescribed continues to show marked increases in knowledge and skills in CO teens.

Q: The dangers of “misusing” prescription drugs

17% → 64% *students reported they had “a lot of knowledge” before vs. after

Q: The dangers of fentanyl and/or counterfeit pills

16% → 63% *students reported they had “a lot of knowledge” before vs. after

Q: I feel equipped to have conversations about prescription drug misuse and/or advocate for this issue

52% → 81% *students reported they “agree” or “strongly agree” before vs. after

Let’s continue this momentum and help youth discover and engage in Not Prescribed! Access this powerful resource here:

https://www.riseaboveco.org/resources

Also, please join us for a guided introduction to the resource and its accessibility features - and better prepare for your own facilitation of Not Prescribed. We’re hosting a New! Not Prescribed Learning Call on Wednesday, April 22^nd from 12-1pm.

ADD LEARNING CALL TO YOUR CALENDAR