Los Alamos High School Key Club provides cotton candy for youth summit participants. Courtesy/LAC
Juanita McNiel hosts a silent disco with the courts during the youth summit. Courtesy/LAC
COUNTY News:
Local youth gathered after hours at Mesa Public Library on March 6 for Lifeline: Tools to Save a Life and Build One, an interactive and impactful youth summit focused on prevention, connection, and practical life-saving skills.
Sponsored by Anchorum Health Foundation and Los Alamos County, the event brought together a wide range of community partners, including JJAB and the YMCA, to create an engaging and supportive environment for teens. Participants were welcomed with free food from food trucks and cotton candy from Los Alamos High School Key Club before diving into hands-on workshops and activities throughout the evening.
The summit featured a variety of interactive stations and trainings, including ABC suicide prevention classes, Narcan administration and opioid overdose response, and rescue breathing instruction. Additional activities included a silent disco hosted by the courts, a “red flag/green flag” healthy relationships activity led by Los Alamos County Social Services, and a thoughtful discussion on community giving and generosity facilitated by the Los Alamos Community Foundation.
Each student received a prevention toolkit, equipping them with resources and tools to support themselves and others in times of need.
Feedback from participants highlighted the real-world impact of the event. One student shared that the most valuable takeaway was “learning what to do when someone overdoses”, while another noted the importance of “getting to see others’ opinions on the same matters you’re dealing with”. Many students emphasized the Narcan training as especially meaningful, with one participant describing it as “a concise way to answer questions and misconceptions”.
In addition to gaining practical skills, students expressed appreciation for the sense of connection and community the event fostered. As one attendee shared, “Seeing that other people care about coming to these types of events was a powerful part of the experience.”
When asked for suggestions for future youth summits, one student summed up the evening simply: “I think it was actually a pretty perfect experience.”
Lifeline: Tools to Save a Life and Build One reflects Los Alamos County’s continued commitment to supporting youth through education, prevention, and meaningful community Engagement.
Jamie Allbach from Los Alamos County Social Services hosted a red flag, green flag discussion for Healthy Relationships. Courtesy/LAC
The YMCA hosted Around the World ping pong games during the youth summit. Courtesy/LAC