Kidpower of Colorado Springs is the local center of
Kidpower International, a 501 (c)(3), not-for-profit, charitable
organization, founded in 1989 in Santa Cruz, California. The Colorado Springs
Center was established in 1994 to provide comprehensive safety education and
confidence-building skills to children ages 3-18 and their families. Kidpower’s
mission is to teach young people to use their own power to stay safe from
abuse, assault and abduction. Our programs are known worldwide for being
positive, practical, safe and age-appropriate.
What is the need?
Caring adults often feel helpless in the face of today’s alarming news. Rape
crisis center experts estimate that one in three girls and one in four boys
will be sexually assaulted by the time they are 18 years old. A recent National
Victim’s Center study indicates that 1/3 of all rapes occur before the victim
is 11 years old. Studies show that about 85 percent of all abuse happens with
people the victim knows. Fortunately, there are some very simple, effective
skills that we can teach children to help them be safe in most situations.
Why does Kidpower work?
Our approach is based on the understanding that people learn more by doing than
by talking about doing. Students successfully practice each idea presented.
This experience builds confidence and competence and develops skills in
students’ bodies as well as their minds. Kidpower also works because the skills
are taught in a way that is not scary or overwhelming but that is
matter-of-fact and fun.
What is our track record?
Kidpower has trained thousands of young people in the Colorado Springs area. Our
students report feeling much more confident and prepared. We have dozens of
reports of students who have used these skills to keep themselves physically
and emotionally safe in many threatening situations. We are always happy to
provide references from graduates of our classes and school administrators.
Who are we?
Staff
Executive Director - Jan Isaacs Henry
Program Director - Natalie Yungner
Administrative Assistant - Heather Guerrero
Instructors
Kelly Church
Angela Hamilton
Jared Hayes
Maryjane Hayes
Meredith Henry
Deputy Karl Herndon, El Paso
County Sheriff's Office, Ret.
Jan Isaacs Henry
Chris Knoepke
Annie Kurtz
Brian Kurtz
Amanda Larsen
Linda Schafer
Natalie Yungner
Back row, from left: Maryjane, Heather, Amanda, Kenya, Angela, Meredith, Jan. Middle row: Brian, Karl, Natalie, Chris. Front row: Kelly, Linda. Not pictured: Jared.
Board of Directors
President - Carla Lemmon, PsyD., Clinical Psychologist, Private Practice
Vice President - Ann-Marie Manning, Director of Development, Colorado College
Secretary - Wynde Stinson, LCSW, Private Practice
Rita Burns, Vice President, Communications and Marketing, Memorial Hospital,
Retired
Christy Crase, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel-Americas, Gambro Renal Products, Inc.
Marian Edelbrock, Ph.D., Director of Behavioral Health, University of the Rockies
Robert Edelbrock, Ed.D., Vice President/Campus Director, University of the Rockies
Amy Folsom, Assistant County Attorney, El Paso County
John Henry, Executive Director, Corporate Communications, USAA, Retired
Paul Isenstadt, Director of Programming and Residential Services, ComCor
Lt. Clif Northam, Swing Shift Watch Commander, Criminal Justice Center,
El Paso County Sheriff's Office
Jim Stinson, Officer, Colorado Springs Police Department
Sara Sugerman, LMFT, Private Practice, Executive Coach, Center for Creative Leadership
Back row, from left: Amy Folsom, Bob Edelbrock, Jim Stinson, Clif Northam and John Henry. Middle row: Bob Johnson, Advisor, Carla Lemmon, Ann-Marie Manning and Sara Sugerman. Front Row: Paul Isenstadt, Wynde Stinson, Rita Burns, Nancy Saltzman and Darcell Palmer.
Advisors
Local Co-Founder and Advisor - Debra Campeau, Managing Attorney,
Office Guardian-ad-Litem
Local Co-Founder and Advisor - Jan DeBoer, LCSW, Private Practice
Past - President and Advisor - Sandra Johnson, Community Leader
Financial Advisor - Robert D. Johnson, CPA, P.C.
Advisor - Sgt. Michele Hodges, El Paso County Sheriff's Office, Retired
• Since opening in 1994, Kidpower of Colorado Springs has served more than 32,100 people in our community.
• Last year, 2,739 young people and the adults who care about them learned
important safety skills.
• No child or family is denied Kidpower services due to the lack of ability to
pay.
• Last year, 100% of parents surveyed in school workshops agreed that their
children learned skills that are applicable to real-life situations and that
the workshop increased their children's level of awareness about interpersonal
safety.
• Colorado Springs Assets for Youth awarded Kidpower with its Nonprofit Asset
Builder Award for being a community-based nonprofit promoting positive youth
development (2006-07).
• Kidpower of Colorado Springs' Director, Jan Isaacs Henry, was awarded the 2008
Lohman Award - Excellence on Behalf of Children at the El Paso County Bar
Association Annual Law Day.