Eagle Valley Community Foundation Names Vail Mountain School 2025 Volunteer Group of the Year

 Eagle Valley Community Foundation (EVCF) is proud to recognize Vail Mountain School (VMS) as its 2025 Volunteer Group of the Year, honoring the school’s outstanding commitment to service, experiential learning, and building meaningful connections across the community.

This recognition celebrates a growing partnership that brings together education, language, and service, creating opportunities for students to engage directly with their community while supporting neighbors across Eagle County.

“At Eagle Valley Community Foundation, we believe belonging begins with connection,” said Grace Anshutz, Director of Development and Marketing at EVCF. “Vail Mountain School has created a model for what it looks like when education meets community impact. Students are not just learning, they are building relationships, strengthening trust, and showing up for their neighbors in powerful ways.”

At the heart of this partnership is Vail Mountain School’s experiential Spanish program, led by educator Angela Alonso. Designed to move beyond traditional classroom learning, the course provides students with opportunities to apply their language skills in real world, community centered settings.

“Given the linguistic diversity of the Vail Valley, home to a thriving Spanish speaking community, it felt natural to create a course where students use their Spanish beyond the classroom and in authentic settings,” said Alonso. “Through volunteer work, they can interact with Spanish speakers in meaningful ways.”

Students have volunteered with The Community Market, supporting food distribution and helping families navigate resources, and have played a key role at MIRA (Mobile Intercultural Resource Alliance) Health Fairs, assisting Spanish speaking community members with registration, directions, and access to critical health services.

In addition to ongoing volunteer engagement, Vail Mountain School has demonstrated a deep commitment to service through its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Each year, students, faculty, and families come together to honor Dr. King’s legacy through hands-on community work, including supporting The Community Market and other local initiatives. This day has become a cornerstone of the school’s culture, reinforcing values of equity, service, and collective responsibility.

“The Health Fair was a fantastic experience,” Alonso shared. “Students helped run the event while interacting with Spanish speaking attendees, registering them, giving directions, and sharing basic information. They felt proud to use their Spanish to make someone’s day easier.”

For many students, these experiences mark their first time using Spanish in real, high impact situations, building both language fluency and confidence.

“Students gain confidence communicating with native speakers and deepen their understanding of the diverse community they live in,” Alonso said. “They strengthen their ability to empathize with people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.”

Beyond language development, the program fosters personal growth and civic engagement.

“Volunteering helps students grow as thoughtful, community minded young adults,” Alonso added. “They develop responsibility, maturity, and a genuine sense of civic engagement.”

In addition to student volunteerism, Vail Mountain School has been a key partner in EVCF’s sustainability efforts through the REcover Program. The school regularly donates excess meals to The Community Market, helping ensure fresh, nutritious food reaches local families while reducing food waste and strengthening a broader food recovery system across the valley.

The impact of this partnership extends beyond the classroom. The VMS Parent Group and broader school community have also played an active role, reinforcing a shared culture of service, sustainability, and community care.

“Volunteering beyond their own benefit gives students meaningful opportunities to connect with people who may speak a different language or come from different cultural backgrounds,” Alonso said. “These experiences help students recognize and appreciate our shared humanity.”

EVCF will formally recognize Vail Mountain School during a special presentation at the school’s Town Hall on May 14, celebrating students, educators, and families who have contributed to this partnership.

About Eagle Valley Community Foundation

Eagle Valley Community Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to connecting community to community by advancing equity and improving the lives of individuals and families across Eagle County. Through its core programs, The Community Market, MIRA, and Elevar, EVCF provides access to food, health resources, and opportunities for economic mobility. Today, EVCF serves more than 4,500 individuals each week, helping build a stronger, more connected community.

About Vail Mountain School

Vail Mountain School is an independent K through 12 school located in Eagle County, Colorado, committed to academic excellence, character development, and experiential learning. The school integrates service learning across grade levels, including its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, where students, faculty, and families engage in meaningful community work. Through programs like its experiential Spanish course, Vail Mountain School empowers students to connect classroom learning with real world impact, fostering leadership, empathy, and a lifelong commitment to community.