LAPS NEWS RELEASE
Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) is launching The Resilience Initiative, a new effort to strengthen mental health and substance use prevention across the district with support from a grant awarded through the Los Alamos Community Foundation (LACF). As part of the initiative, Los Alamos High School students can apply now to join a paid Youth Peer Ambassador cohort launching this fall.
The grant was funded by the Anchorum Community Health Fund, a donor-advised fund of the Los Alamos Community Foundation. LACF supports Los Alamos nonprofits advancing health, wellness, and community resilience, with an emphasis on mental health. The grant is administered with support from the Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation.
Los Alamos Community Foundation Executive Director Alison Watkins, shared, “We are thrilled to celebrate the launch of The Resilience Initiative at Los Alamos High School and proud to support an effort that strengthens the well-being and resilience of our local youth. We are deeply grateful for our partnership with Anchorum Health Foundation, whose support made it possible to provide the funding needed to bring this important initiative to our community.”
Led by the LAPS Prevention Program, The Resilience Initiative has two connected components. The first provides wellness training for district educators and support staff, using an evidence-based framework designed to strengthen the protective factors that help adults support students. The second is the Youth Peer Ambassador Program, which recruits and trains high school students to lead mental health, resilience, and substance use prevention efforts among their peers.
“I am excited to build on the Youth Peer Ambassador Program we launched this spring and expand its focus beyond nicotine prevention to address mental health and substance use,” Los Alamos Public Schools Prevention Specialist Sylvia Dieh said. “When we give young people the opportunity to lead, connect with their peers, and help shape prevention efforts, we strengthen both student voice and the protective factors that help young people thrive. That is an important part of building a healthy, connected school community.”
Students Can Apply Now for the Fall Cohort
Six students will be selected for the fall cohort. Over eight weeks, ambassadors will learn about mental health, substance use, and prevention; gather student perspectives through focus groups; and design and lead a peer-driven campaign across Los Alamos Public Schools. Students who complete the program will receive a $550 stipend through the LAPS Foundation.
“The LAPS Foundation is grateful for the opportunity to partner with LAPS Prevention staff to support the health and well-being of students and staff,” Executive Director of the LAPS Foundation Sylvan Argo said. “We recognize the importance of amplifying student leadership and giving young people a voice in creating resilient spaces and practices within our schools and wider community.”
The program is open to all Los Alamos High School students. No prior leadership experience or club membership is required. Students who may not typically see themselves as leaders are especially encouraged to apply. The goal is to build a cohort that reflects the experiences, ideas, and perspectives of the student body.
Students can apply here: https://forms.gle/9pLih4XEopk4vyWUA
Applications are due Friday, Sept. 18.
Building on LAPS’ Prevention Work
At the heart of this work is a simple goal: that every young person in Los Alamos feels connected, supported, and known—and that no student has to navigate a difficult time without someone in their corner. The Resilience Initiative is one way LAPS is working toward that goal, alongside students themselves.
The initiative grows out of LAPS’ broader, evidence-based approach to prevention, which focuses on strengthening protective factors and supporting student well-being before challenges take hold. It builds on the peer-leader model already in place through Sources of Strength at Los Alamos Middle School and Los Alamos High School, as well as the Youth Tobacco Prevention Peer Ambassador program launched in spring 2026 with support from Constellation Consulting. This next step expands that work, giving students a meaningful voice in addressing mental health and substance use while strengthening the district’s focus on social-emotional well-being.
The program is also informed by local data, including the 2023 New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS), which identified concerns among Los Alamos High School students related to mental health and substance use. These findings underscore the importance of sustained, school-based prevention—and of engaging students as partners in building healthier, more connected school communities.
“Our students thrive when their schools, families, and the community work together to support their well-being,” Superintendent of Los Alamos Public Schools Jennifer Guy said. “This program gives us an opportunity to strengthen the adults who support our students while also empowering students to be leaders in creating a positive and caring school community. We are grateful to the Los Alamos Community Foundation and Anchorum for their investment in our students and our schools.”
For more information, contact Diehl with the LAPS Prevention Program at s.diehl@laschools.net or 505.663.2564.
If you or a young person you know is struggling, help is available 24/7 — call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.