PEER (Promoting Empowerment Eagle River)

Eagle County students yearn to take flight,

With knowledge that guides them just right.

Thanks to PEER’s dedication,

Health meets education—

Empowered, now their futures shine bright! 
                                                                                              -Poem by Melisa Rewold-Thuon, Assistant Superintendent of ECS

Your Support

Together, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of our youth and community. Join us in our mission to reduce teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other STIs by promoting empowerment, knowledge, and informed decision-making. With your support, we can ensure that every individual in Eagle County has the tools and resources they need to lead a healthy and empowered life. 

The Eagle River Valley corridor of Eagle County is evolving and so is PEER (Promoting Empowerment Eagle River.) We are extremely grateful for your support on Colorado Gives Day to support PEER (formerly known as Red Ribbon Project) in maintaining our current programs and eventual expansion to meet the needs of our community and especially our youth. 

At PEER, we believe that knowledge is power, and the path to healthier futures begins with maturation and comprehensive sexual health education. We are dedicated to empowering our youth with knowledge, fostering open conversations, and providing vital resources to help them make informed choices about their sexual health, today and into their future.

Maturation and Sexual Health Education

Evidence-based, comprehensive sexual health education can improve academic success; prevent dating violence, and bullying; help youth develop healthier relationships; delay sexual initiation; reduce unplanned pregnancy, HIV, and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs); and reduce sexual health disparities among LGBTQ+ youth.

At PEER, we're committed to offering a comprehensive and inclusive approach to the learning and resource connection, emphasizing medically accurate, developmentally/age-appropriate content. Recognizing that these conversations can be uncomfortable for some youth, our PEER Health Educators strive to create a safe and judgment-free space where questions can be asked and answered. We believe that open and honest conversations between youth and adults play a vital role in empowering our community to make healthier choices.

PEER classes support students in developing healthy decision making and self-efficacy skills, empowering them to better advocate for themselves and take charge of their own health and safety. These skills will support youth in identifying and accessing trusted adults in big decision-making and/or times of crisis, and if sexually active, asking for and stating consent, as well as correct and effective contraception use for those sexually active.