将毕业生留在特立尼达的计划是在低机会外流之后出现的
By Benjamin Mandile - Reporter - Courtesy of The Chronicle-News
特立尼达的教育工作者看到一个接一个的学生毕业后离开这个城市 感觉特立尼达不再为他们提供充满机会的生活. 现在，一群当地人正在寻求改变这一趋势，留住更多的毕业生 where they grew up.
Trinidad State College and Trinidad School District No. 1 are hoping to create an 校园里高需求的工作生态系统可以留住特立尼达的毕业生 这个城市是跟随弗里蒙特县的一个名为Emergent的倡议的脚步 Campus.
“总而言之，这是为了我们的孩子，”TSC主席Dr. Rhonda Epper said. “这是为了建立一个特立尼达，让我们的孩子有机会茁壮成长， 接受教育，并有途径进入职业领域，导致一个可持续的 living wage. We want our kids to stay in Trinidad. We want them to be able to be educated 在这个领域，他们不必为了追求可行的职业而离开城市 opportunities, or go to the big city to find work.”
毕业生外流的部分原因是特立尼达缺乏机会 与丹佛等市场相比，这里的机会带来的低工资， 科罗拉多斯普林斯和阿尔伯克基人均收入都较高.
“我要告诉你，自从我担任特立尼达州立学院校长以来，我已经 我和年轻人进行了很多令人沮丧的对话，他们真的不怎么了解 an economic future for themselves,” Dr. Epper said. 2020 U.S. Census data shows Trinidad 家庭收入中位数为40,700美元，而丹佛等较大的社区， 科罗拉多斯普林斯(Colorado Springs)和阿尔伯克基(Albuquerque)分别为78,100美元、71,900美元和56,300美元.
新兴校园(EC)将试图阻止人口外流，并提供增加的经济 机会——不仅帮助学生，也为城市带来新鲜血液， 继续特立尼达市议会和私营部门进行的振兴努力 developers.
电子商务的想法起源于弗里蒙特县，在那里，除了就业 科罗拉多州惩教部门缺乏工作机会的问题一直被吹捧 作为特立尼达的可能性，它与弗里蒙特县有相似之处.
For one, demographics are similar. The program could also work well here, according 对于支持者来说，由于已经建立了“成功”的蓝图，商业 partnerships and its location along the Interstate 25 corridor.
How successful is the program within Fremont County? Since launching, the campus in the former Florence Jr./Sr. High School it has helped launch 18 businesses within the community with approximately 70 employees. There are also over 100 location-neutral 该地区的工人，得到了在欧盟振兴期间迁入的大型科技公司的支持.
“我们在弗里蒙特有一个成功的蓝图，”EC首席执行官布拉德·罗兰(Brad Rowland)说. “我们有企业想要扩展到其他社区.”
该项目很可能需要社区的支持才能取得成功. While the Fremont 县社区支持这个想法，但他们不相信罗兰能把它变成现实. TSC和TSD1已经开始获得社区的支持，并进行了多次介绍 到TSD1教育委员会，并于上周为受邀者举办了一个社区发布会. The 社区启动包括开发商、企业主和政府代表 officials, educators and localists.
在州一级，决策者看到了这个项目的潜力. The partnership 试图通过科罗拉多机遇基金获得700万美元，但失败了 in the top 20 projects. (All three projects selected in the final round were chosen for Denver).
Dr. 埃珀表示，尽管初始资金不足，但该项目将继续推进， 她认为，如果该组织被允许亲自出席，她相信会的 have received the funding. Other aspects are already being put in place.
TSD1已同意在其历史悠久的公园街大楼内设立特立尼达EC， which is currently vacant. TSC, currently undergoing major campus renovations, plans to create a Makerspace, EC classrooms and work space.
“这是一个非常强大的概念，我们对这个机会感到兴奋。. Epper said.
特立尼达市长菲尔·里科在他担任市长的最后几年里试图转变 特立尼达在就业机会方面自给自足，支持这一想法.
“它向你展示了如果有主动性和公正，一个小社区可以做些什么 a willingness to do something,” Mayor Rico said. “…I look at this as opportunity, and that’s what we need to really be doing here in Trinidad. We need to really look 我们的社区和我们的地区有什么机会.”
他问为什么不是特立尼达，并指出特立尼达与弗里蒙特县在铁路上相似 smaller scale. Both are rural, and near population centers. Both relied on industry that eventually saw a downturn. Both have vacant space to bring new life to their respective communities.
“几年前，特立尼达因关闭煤矿而陷入经济低迷 mines,” Mayor Rico said. “After that we received some reprieve (when) the natural gas industry, the cannabis industries began operation. These industries have since taken a downturn. The New Elk Mine has recently closed and has left a big hole in the employment opportunities that we had. Since, council has realized that we need a more sustainable economy.”
他指出，努力通过创意产业和娱乐产业实现增长 在特立尼达，随着“创造空间”的启动和“渔人”的开业 Peak State Park.
“机会就在那里，”里科市长谈到新兴的旅游业和创意产业时说. “然而，这些行业也是季节性的，所以有些月份可能无法提供一致的数据 economic impact that we need. We need to bring in staple stores, other types of businesses and small to medium industries to have a more consistent economy.
他说，该市目前的产业，如能源生产、教育、 地方政府、汽车和农业无法提供高薪工作.
“这就是有趣的地方，因为这就是布拉德所展示的机会 来这里是为了带来额外的高薪机会，”里科市长谈到 proposal.
他说，特立尼达需要找到一种方法来阻止年轻人和家庭离开特立尼达， which could be curbed through the EC.
“Trinidad is in the middle of revitalization,” Mayor Rico said. “And we cannot, we cannot lose this momentum.”