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# Rocky Mountain Diversity Fair
Join us for Colorado’s largest diversity fair for high school students.
!
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Modeled upon a typical college fair, this unique event includes not only colleges and universities, but also non-profit organizations, private corporations, the military and others.  Our goal is to offer Colorado teenagers a multitude of options and ideas for their next steps upon graduation from high school.
Unlike a typical college fair, our event asks the exhibitors to specifically share what their schools or organizations are doing to support diversity and inclusion.  We invite each college or university to bring not only admission representatives, but also their diversity officer or team to speak directly with high school students about the culture on their campus and how they are advancing inclusion and justice for their students.
## Date and Time
Saturday, February 1, 2025
8:00 – 9:30 am
Exhibitors may arrive starting at 7:30am to setup
## Directions
The Fair will take place in the West Building gyms on the campus of Cherry Creek High School.
Attendees are *required* to enter the campus off Yosemite Street and Campus Drive; .
Once parked, follow the balloons to enter the West Building near the clock tower.
## Exhibitor Registration
If you are a representative of a college, university, non-profit organization, the military, private corporation or other organization, register for a table at the Fair using the form below. If you are having difficulty with this form, please .
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© 2025
Youth Celebrate Diversity
# Student Leadership Bootcamp
Join us for training on how to be an effective student leader of an inclusion and justice club!
You’re invited to YCD’s **Student Leadership Bootcamp**, taking place on **Saturday, September 7, 2024**!
This unique training is for youth who want to learn the skills needed to lead an inclusion and justice club. Whether you participate in a diversity club, GSA, affinity group or student council, this is the perfect training to hone your skills and become an inclusive leader. You’ll also get an opportunity to meet youth from other parts of Colorado doing similar work. Sign up today before this training reaches capacity!
## Who Should Attend
This training is meant for youth in high school, as well as their faculty advisors/adult mentors. We are also happy to welcome adult mentors of middle school clubs/groups.
Note you do not need to be an elected leader in order to attend! Even if you are not currently a leader in your group, you are welcome to participate and learn the skills you’ll need to lead in the future! You also do not need to be part of an existing group; come to this training as a start to creating a new group.
We especially encourage leadership teams (co-chairs, presidents, vice presidents, officers, and adult sponsors/advisors) to attend as a group.
## Venue and Directions
The Student Leadership Bootcamp will be hosted by the University of Denver in Sturm Hall, which is located south of Asbury Avenue between University and High Street in Denver. .
Parking fees at the University of Denver will be covered by YCD as part of the training.
## Schedule
Below is an overview of the schedule for the Student Leadership Bootcamp. Click on any timeslot to expand and learn more about that portion of the day. You can also .
**Arrival and Parking** / 9:30 – 10:00 am
We have purposefully planned for this Bootcamp to start later in the day to allow for participants from across Colorado enough time to drive in the morning. Parking will be free for participants (covered by YCD!) on the University of Denver’s campus; specific details will be shared at a later date closer to the event.
**Breakfast** / 9:30 – 10:00 am
A free, light continental breakfast of bagels, muffins, fruit and yogurt will be available for everyone.
**Welcome and Opening Session** / 10:00 – 10:45 am
We’ll kick of the Bootcamp by grounding ourselves in our purpose and why working for inclusion and justice is important to each of us. We’ll also do some activities for participants to get to know each other and make bonds with other youth working for inclusion and justice across Colorado!
**DEIJ Core Concepts for Leaders** / 10:45 am – 12:15 pm
Any person to work for inclusion and justice must be well-versed in DEIJ core concepts, including identity, privilege, and intersectionality. We’ll do a variety of activities to explore and understand their issues, and how they impact our leadership in youth-led clubs.
**Lunch** / 12:15 – 1:00 pm
A free lunch will be provided for all attendees! We take special precautions for anyone with a dietary restriction.
**Workshop A** / 1:00 – 1:45 pm
Each attendee will go to a series of four workshops, each of them being 45 minutes:
* Preparing for and Leading Successful Meetings
* Making Decisions through Consensus
* Managing Conflict and Holding Peers Accountable
* Roles and Responsibilities in Youth-Led Groups
**Workshop B** / 1:50 – 2:35 pm
Everyone attends a second workshop. See Workshop A for the list of topics.
**Workshop C** / 2:40 – 3:25 pm
Everyone attends a third workshop. See Workshop A for the list of topics.
**Workshop D** / 3:30 – 4:15 pm
Everyone attends a fourth workshop. See Workshop A for the list of topics.
**Logistics and Next Steps** / 4:20 – 5:00 pm
After a day of training and discussions, we’ll reconvene as a large group to reflect on what we’ve learned and make plans for the future. We’ll also have Q&A with each of our presenters. You will leave this training ready to take your youth-led club or group to the next level!
## Workshops
The Student Leadership Bootcamp features four workshops in the afternoon, covering key topics that are crucial for youth to lead their peers in clubs/groups in an authentic way.
#### Preparing for and Leading Successful Meetings
Creating and leading a group requires some planning and preparation. This workshop gives advice on how to prep for meetings, as well as going through all the resources YCD provides for groups to be successful throughout the year.
#### Making Decisions through Consensus
YCD promotes consensus as an inclusive decision-making model that involves dialogue, perspective taking, and relationship building. Learn the steps to build consensus, and then practice!
#### Managing Conflict and Holding Peers Accountable
It can be intimidating for youth to hold their peers accountable, yet this is necessary to avoid and address conflict when it arises. This session provides practical experience on how to set group expectations/norms, and then how to hold peers accountable when they overstep.
#### Roles and Responsibilities in Youth-Led Groups
This workshop helps adult mentors learn to “lean back” while also setting expectations for youth on how they can take charge. Youth are also given strategies to call in adult mentors when they need help or advice.
## Cost
This training is being offered **free of charge** for all youth and adult mentors of YCD chapters thanks a generous grant from The Colorado Health Foundation, as well as support from the University of Denver! If your club or group is not yet a registered YCD chapter, learn more and sign up below.
High school-aged youth and adult mentors may attend without registering as a YCD chapter for $30/person. However we encourage groups to register as a chapter, which brings significant benefits at a lower cost.  to discuss or with questions.
## Flyer
 to advertise this opportunity to youth in your school, community or network!
## Registration
#### Groups
Established youth clubs and groups are encouraged to register as a chapter of YCD, which includes attendance at this Bootcamp as part of their annual membership, in addition to numerous other benefits!
#### Individuals
If you are ready to sign up for your spot at the Bootcamp, use the button below!
## Contact
#### Caleb Munro
Executive Director
Denver, Colorado
(720) 507-0746
# Register for the Bootcamp
Reserve your spot for this unique and impactful training at the Student Leadership Bootcamp on September 7, 2024!
Online registration for the Student Leadership Bootcamp is now closed, but you may still join us at the event! Come to late registration on Saturday, September 7, 2024 at Sturm Hall (follow the signs for YCD) and sign up on the spot!  with any questions.
# Get Involved
We’re building a grassroots movement of teens and educators working for inclusion and social justice, and you’re invited.
### 
Add your name and/or group to the growing list of young people working to advance inclusion and social justice across the U.S., and get monthly benefits from YCD.
YCD provides guides for how to start (or improve) a youth-led inclusion/justice club, icebreakers for youth, as well as sample workshop guides of activities you can do within your chapter — all for free!
YCD has in-person conferences planned for Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming during the 24-25 school year, as well a national virtual conference! Find an upcoming event and plan to join us!
Do you have an idea of a workshop YCD should offer at an upcoming in-person conference, or on virtual platforms? Propose your idea here. Past workshop presenters have ranged from students, to parents, to teachers, to non-profit leaders, to community activists.
Stay in touch with the latest information on what’s happening with the student movement for inclusion and social justice. Promise — we don’t spam.
If you live in Colorado or New Mexico, we have regular need for in-person volunteers to support our youth-led conferences. Find opportunities and sign up here.
As a small non-profit organization, every donation makes a big difference to our bottom line. Consider a donation to support the youth-led movement for inclusion and social justice.
## Ready to get started?
# Propose a Workshop
We’re excited to hear how you can support the student movement for inclusion and social justice.
We invite anyone and everyone to propose their ideas for workshops at YCD events using this website.  Past workshop presenters have included high school students, teachers, parents, non-profit organizations, and others. Read below for information about workshops and what you need to proceed.
## Current Calls for Proposals
We are currently seeking proposals for the Colorado Youth Diversity Conference. We encourage you to submit a proposal by **Friday, December 6, 2024** for priority consideration. , and scroll down to submit your idea.
## Core Skills
YCD seeks proposals on a wide variety of social issues faced by teens today. Each conference’s Student Board will publish a call for workshop proposals listing specific topics they have prioritized for their conference. Check an individual event page for more information.
Intertwined with these issues, YCD seeks to feature workshops that nurture the following skills and outcomes through the content and experiences (in alignment with our ):
#### Identity
I can define and explain my identity, values and beliefs.
#### Authenticity
I am proud of my identity.
#### Perspective taking
I feel that I respect those who are different and show them empathy.
#### Communication
I feel that I can communicate openly and honestly with others to address social problems.
#### Conflict resolution
I know I can navigate conflict when it arises with specific strategies.
#### Collaboration
I feel able to call on allies when facing oppression, discrimination or an uncomfortable situation.
#### Integrity
I hold myself accountable for things I have said and done to others.
#### Decision-making
I think I make good choices when facing difficult decisions.
#### Activism
I feel engaged in making positive social change in my community or school.
## Timing
Most of our events offer two workshop sessions back to back. You may choose to present during both sessions to reach a wider audience; or you may present during just one session, and attend another workshop during the second session.
Workshops at our events are generally 70 minutes long, with the last 10 minutes reserved for evaluations. Therefore you should plan on having roughly 60 minutes for your content during each workshop session.
## Audience
Most workshops will have between 15-25 people in the audience. You may choose to limit your workshop to students or adults only. However, we have found the best workshops are generally open to everyone at the event, and this will also maximize the number of people interested in your topic.
Attendees select their workshops using this website before they arrive on the event day. Keep in mind when engaging your audience that, in most cases, attendees do not already know each other.
## Interactive Format
During the workshop you are free to engage your audience in any activities or discussions you would like, as long as it adheres closely to your workshop description. We strongly encourage every presenter to make their workshops as interactive and engaging as possible. Avoid lectures.
## Evaluations
YCD will supply the evaluations for your workshops. We collect and tabulate the evaluations on the day of the event, and will share the results of your evaluations with you via email within two weeks after the event.
## Information Required for a Proposal
Our workshop proposal form is relatively easy and broken into several sections to help you navigate it. If you plan ahead, it should only take about 15 minutes to complete a proposal. The form cannot be saved mid-proposal, so we suggest you prepare your information before starting the form. We will ask for these pieces of information:
* Which event(s) you are proposing this workshop for
* Title and description
* Audience (student/adult) and size
* Audio-visual needs
* Any costs you charge to present your workshop
You are welcome to propose multiple workshop ideas by resubmitting the form more than once.
## Process after Submitting Your Proposal
We accept workshop proposals through this website form only.
Each YCD program has its own Student Board made up of students who meet regularly to make all decisions regarding the event, including which workshops to offer. This group will review all proposals to find those which are most interesting to a youth audience and also suitable to the format of our events. This review generally takes 3-4 weeks after the deadline to submit.
Once the Student Board has made their final decisions, we will notify each person via email whether their proposal was accepted for the event or not.
If your workshop is accepted, the final step in the process is to have any co-presenters register for the event.  We will email you with information about how to register co-presenters at the appropriate time. We require every individual attending our events to register for security reasons, and to ensure we have adequate food, water, and other supplies. This will also help your co-presenters receive email updates from YCD leading up to the event, including directions, schedule, and other notices. If you are presenting your workshop alone, this step is not required and you’re all set until the day of the event!
## Propose Your Workshop Idea
If you are ready to propose your idea, use the button below!
# Propose Your Workshop Idea
Having difficult with this form? .
# Which mailing list would you like to join?
#### YCD Colorado
For all youth, educators, and supportive adults in Colorado
#### YCD New Mexico
For all youth, educators, and supportive adults in New Mexico
#### YCD National
For all youth, educators, and supportive adults anywhere
# Volunteer
We couldn’t do our work without the support of volunteers like you.
## How Volunteers Help YCD
We utilize dozens of volunteers at each of our in-person events.  Examples include:
* Greeting participants
* Handing out programs, giveaways, and food
* Staffing a registration table
* Organizing and delivering lunch
* Directing participants around the campus or venue
* Tabulating evaluations we collect throughout the day
We ask each volunteer to sign up for a specific “work shift” so that your volunteering has a specific start and end time, and you have an idea of the kind of work you’ll be doing. Most volunteer work shifts are approximately three hours.
Volunteers are supervised by a volunteer manager at each event. This person can answer questions, and is also available to sign off on community service hours for those who are interested.
Please note, volunteers generally are busy helping us execute and support our conferences and events. In most cases this means volunteers are not able to attend workshops, hear speakers, or experience the event the same as attendees. If you are interested in attending one of our conferences,  to learn how you can register for an event.
## Volunteer Onboarding Process
Adult volunteers (over the age of 18 or graduated from high school) are required to agree to and pass a background check with YCD prior to volunteering. They must also provide two character references. This policy is in place to keep youth in our program safe in all YCD spaces. The vetting and onboarding process generally requires 3-5 days to process.
Once a prospective adult volunteer is approved by YCD, they are eligible to volunteer at any event for the next five years. They can choose which events they wish to sign up for, and pick specific work shifts, so they understand start and end times.
Youth volunteers (17 and younger) are exempt from the background check requirement. However, they must either volunteer with a club or group, or have a parent/guardian present during their volunteer work shift.
If you have any questions or concerns about the volunteer onboarding process, please !
## Sign Up to Volunteer
#### Prospective Adult Volunteers
If you are an adult (18 or older, or graduated from high school) ready to volunteer with YCD at a future event, click the button below!
#### Youth + Approved Adult Volunteers
All of our volunteer work shifts for February 1, 2025 are now full! Thank you for your interest. Please check back again in the future, or  with questions.