06/02/2026
History Break! 🧠
This month, we’re highlighting Denver Kids in the 1980s.
During this time, Denver families were navigating an economic recession, leading to higher rates of unemployment and a slow economy. Poverty and instability brought a rise in the illegal drug market, making students even more vulnerable to drug exposure and criminal involvement. Denver schools also began to see a rise in teen pregnancy rates, as access to affordable and safe birth control methods was inequitable upon racial lines. These instabilities furthered the need for social services, such as Denver Kids, to step in.
Denver Girls, a separate organization from Denver Boys at the time, expanded its focus, acquiring private funding to serve more than 300 girls. The program was incredibly successful and changed the narrative of what young women could aspire to be, including doctors, engineers, and scientists.
Denver Girls also continued to serve its students through experiences and mentorship that had been mostly reserved for boys. While many schools were struggling with implementing Title IX compliance, giving girls equal access to sports, clubs, and extracurriculars, Denver Girls was ahead of the curve, already providing these kinds of experiences since the early 1970s.
Meanwhile, Denver Boys continued providing job opportunities, mentorship experiences, academic support, and recreational activities for students. With the support of both organizations, students had more time to just be kids. VHS tapes of Ghostbusters and Back to the Future were on repeat, Walkmans sang the tunes of Whitney Houston and the Beastie Boys, and a few too many rounds of Pac-Man were enjoyed.
Be on the lookout each month as we highlight success stories of each decade!
Interested in learning more about Denver Kids history? Check out our 80 year timeline here: DenverKids.Org/80Years.
