For 12-year-old students navigating middle school in rural Colorado, challenges extend far beyond homework and social dynamics. Many face unstable housing, language barriers, and limited access to mental health resources. For them, the Youth Mental Health Corps (YMHC) can be a lifeline.

Berkeley Wall, a second-year YMHC member at Ortega Middle School in Alamosa, has spent countless hours building trust with students who might otherwise fall through the cracks.

“I really just wanted to be back working with the same students because it seems like there’s a clear need,” she said. “I think my students and I have been able to really build on our relationships from last year and just realize that I am around and I really do care about what happens for them.”

Wall’s day-to-day work is highly personalized. She moves from classroom to classroom, focusing on students’ individual needs, especially Spanish-speaking students who need help integrating academically and socially.

“Whenever they are receiving a huge packet in English, I work on putting it in Spanish or in a bilingual format for them so that they can actually understand,” she said. “A lot of it is just trying to make connections with the Spanish-speaking population.”

“We have 468 kids total right now, sixth through eighth grade. Berkeley probably services, gosh, just being in the classroom, probably over 200 kids a day … at least a hundred kids she’s helping out directly,” said Nate Gonzales, the principal at Ortega Middle School.

To serve those 468 students, Ortega has two full-time counselors, 2 part-time counselors in training under supervision and then Wall as an additional near peer support through YMHC. 

One student’s story exemplifies the program’s impact. Last year, a girl experiencing homelessness confided in Wall as her first trusted adult. Together, they navigated the complex process of securing housing for the girl and her family. “She couldn’t stand me some days,” Wall said, “but I wouldn’t trade our relationship for the world. I know that I’m an important adult in her life and that she’s a really important kid in my life.”

Simple interventions can also be transformative. A student struggling to see the board in class had gone years without proper glasses. Teachers had assumed she was simply performing poorly. Wall advocated for her, secured the glasses, and witnessed a dramatic turnaround in her grades.

“Children aren’t bad, they just have bad situations,” she said. “Being able to be the first person to really listen to her and meet her where she is. Her grades have skyrocketed this year.”

Beyond academics, Wall helps students develop social-emotional skills, offering support for everyday challenges such as regulating emotions and navigating interpersonal conflicts.

“Having an authentic human being that can really relate to them and regulate them is extremely important,” she said. “It’s more impactful than a meditation app or a 30-minute yoga session. They’re getting a trusted adult who’s invested in them.”

Principal Gonzales agreed: “I think our building’s in a better place than it was a couple years ago. Our staff is happier, our climate’s better, and our kids are happier.”

The Corps’ student-centered approach extends statewide. Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera recounted instances where AmeriCorps members provided crucial support. A mother and her daughter, a gang violence survivor, were connected with therapy and tutoring through their school-based Corps member. Another grieving student remained engaged in school because the Corps member was available on demand. “Students didn’t need to make an appointment. They had someone right there,” Primavera said.

Serve Colorado notes that the program is essential, not extra. By providing early interventions to students who require lower levels of care, YMHC increases the capacity of licensed behavioral health specialists to focus on complex cases, reduces emergency behavioral health costs, boosts attendance and graduation rates, and lowers long-term spending in juvenile justice, child welfare and Medicaid.

The program also builds future leaders.

“It’s providing a very clear trajectory for young adults like me to get involved in the field,” Wall said. “They back up all of their people to get certified to stay in these communities and benefit them directly in a place where support is extremely scarce.”

Even with funding challenges, such as AmeriCorps cuts that reduced the first-year cohort from 145 to 80 members, the Corps continues to deliver for students. “Students are getting a direct trusted adult,” Wall said. “It matters that they’re getting a human resource versus another capital resource. Having a real person care about them is invaluable.”

From advocating for language access to providing hands-on support for basic needs, YMHC members like Wall create meaningful, measurable change. In small rural schools, their presence ensures that students who are most vulnerable have someone in their corner, an adult who believes in them, invests in their success, and gives them a path toward a brighter future.