ALAMOSA — In the midst of times that, for many, may feel uncertain or even frightening, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley (BGCSLV) was filled with words of encouragement, hope and resilience early Tuesday morning, March 25, as members of the community gathered to honor Myissa Duran, an 18-year-old Alamosa High School senior, as the 2025 Youth of the Year.  

Duran wrapped up the morning with a speech, but those who spoke first set the perfect stage for the moving story she was about to share. 

Aaron Miltenberger, CEO and president, was first to address the crowd of community members, civic leaders, business leaders and heads of non-profits in Alamosa assembled for the event. After describing a sobering scenario of a teenager getting up early to feed younger siblings a cold breakfast, Miltenberger took one step closer to painting the harsh reality. 

“One in four young people will consider suicide this year,” he said. “In rural communities like ours, access to services isn’t limited or doesn’t exist unless we build it. That’s what we do. We build belonging. We open doors for young people to walk through.” 

As is the insignia of the BGCSLV, Miltenberger spoke with great pride of the organization alongside deep respect for its members, including teenagers who “choose the path of purpose over the path of survival.” 

He then spoke specifically of the finalists for the Youth of the Year who were in the audience. “These young people are proof that leadership, resilience and hope are alive and well.” 

He then thanked BGCSLV supporters with a reminder. “When you give, when you show up, you change lives. We may not all walk the same path, but we can make sure that no young person has to walk alone because when even one child believes in their own worth, the whole valley rises with him.”  

Kristina Daniel, former longtime member of Alamosa City Council and the current Chief Operating Officer of Valley-Wide Health Systems, was the keynote. 

“We are facing real challenges as a community,” she said. “No doubt about that. Hope is a powerful thing and carries us through uncertainty and hardship when the path ahead seems unclear. But hope, by itself, is not enough. It must be paired with resilience and action and a deep commitment to building something better. 

“Let’s not assume that everyone is scared. Let’s believe that many of us are ready to act, ready to build. Resilience is more than bouncing back, it’s rising stronger. It’s finding the strength to stand tall, not just for ourselves but for others. We don’t build resilience alone, we build it with each other. It doesn’t just live in ideas, it lives in people. Choose hope and action. I hope we can all carry hope forward together for the future we all want to see.” 

When announced as the 2025 BGCSLV Youth of the Year, Duran’s acceptance speech was remarkable as she advocated for a shift in language, from the “demoralizing” term “drug abuse” that “casts a dark shadow” to “substance misuse” in hopes of reducing the stigmatizing impact of a disease that can be hurtful and destructive to entire families.  

Without the benefit of any notes, Duran then told her story. 

“My experience is that both of my parents have and continue to struggle with substance use,” she said.  “Many people think that the only person affected is the one struggling with it, but it affects families just as much. I saw the way it changed [my mother]. It made her mean and unforgiving. She’d choose her boyfriend of the week over her children every time and didn’t think for a second how it might affect our relationship with her. When my baby brother was born, I was expected to care for him while she got high with her boyfriend. I made bottles, changed diapers. I [became] his mother.” 

Duran said she was neglected and abused and the three dots she has tattooed on her wrist symbolize her shackles. “[My mother would] say I was doomed to become her and it was only a matter of time. I refused, and I tried every day not to be consumed by the fear.”  

But she was not alone in her struggles, she said, and credits her grandmother’s love and encouragement that helped her to find her voice. Because of that love and guidance, Duran believes she can help people struggling with substance use like her mother by pursuing a career in paramedicine and nursing. 

Finally, Adams State University (ASU) President David Tandberg joined Duran and Miltenberger on the stage where he presented Duran with a scholarship to ASU. 

“I’m so inspired each year as we get the opportunity to attend this event and learn from the Youth of the Year as they tell their story and find their voice,” Tandberg said. He then addressed Duran. “But I’ve never been so inspired as I am this morning by your story, your conviction, your resilience, your commitment to creating a life that prepares you to be of service to the community and the people you love.”