Ideas we introduce to our youth have the chance to activate change in their life. Seeds of change are the ideas, hopes, and dreams we show and demonstrate. Seeds are small, but the soil holds them. Through watering and attention, they will grow into life and blossom.

Joshua Station offers impactful services to our youth residents while they are at a vulnerable yet adaptable time. Our youth team has the opportunity—from the time that children move into their home here to when they leave two years later and beyond—to be an activator of change. What could be a very difficult period of their life becomes an enriching and loving experience. The summer programming that we provide to our current and former Joshua Station youth promotes health, mindfulness, curiosity, and physical activity.

We saw incredible changes in our youth who participated in Seeds of Change in 2025, so we’re excited for this second year of a nature-inspired summer camp. Our youth team, consisting of Grace Dean, Madelyn Parker, and Maxine Wetzel, brings youth to various outdoor locations. As they enjoy nature, we promote imaginative play, move our bodies, and learn to respect the environment.

One of our most active participants from last summer, Kort, has developed a deep love for nature and wildlife. On a hike during spring break, a tick was spotted on Kort and the adults promptly squished it. “Wait no! You can’t kill it! It has feelings,” exclaimed Kort. The youth team looked at him with great pride, seeing what we’ve been working to instill in our youth. We tried to explain to Kort how a tick was different, and it would hurt him if it stayed on him too long—but he didn’t care! He was sad a living thing died, no matter how small. The idea of caring towards all living things began to sprout in Kort.

At Joshua Station, our youth experience many firsts. Learning to swim, ride a bike, or enjoy a field trip are formative experiences help them shape their sense of belonging and self. For children experiencing homelessness, these milestones may be delayed, altered, or missed entirely.

Denver exists so close to the mountains, but for our families who face transportation and mental health barriers, they feel so far away and inaccessible. Seeds of Change is just one example of how youth programs across Denver are working to form a bridge of accessibility that allows people to walk towards nature.

We see sprouts breaking free from the soil! The seeds we are planting are starting to grow. So we will keep watering, tending another summer immersed in nature with our Joshua Station youth.

—Grace Dean, Youth Advocate