The Barton Institute is excited to welcome Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism (YAASPA) as our newest program partner in January 2026.

YAASPA cultivates youth leaders to be more socially and civically engaged in their communities and careers. YAASPA engages disengaged and underserved youth and fosters their political and social awareness of issues that directly and adversely affect them and their communities. YAASPA is committed to youth economic mobility and provides paid internships and fellowships for work-based exploration and learning. 

In 2022, YAASPA created a shared governance and cooperative economic model called the ABC Collective to pursue a bid to repurpose Paris Elementary School in Aurora. After winning the bid, they developed the ABC Community Hub. The Hub is anchored in social determinants of health to address and provide access to health and wellness, civic engagement,  workforce development programming, and beyond for children through elders in the Denver Metro area.