For more than 40 years, Partners has been connecting youth in Northern Colorado with caring adult mentors who help guide, support, and encourage them. Their purpose is simple yet powerful: to ensure that every young person who needs extra encouragement has a trusted adult to lean on. Through one-on-one mentoring, group activities, and life-skill development, Partners helps youth build confidence, discover new interests, and develop meaningful relationships that last well beyond the program.
One of those connections is between mentor Judith Johnson, 40, and mentee Camila Reyes-Ulloa, 14. Matched in November 2024, the two have spent the last year building a bond that is equal parts fun, adventurous, and transformative. “Camila was completely unaware her mom had signed her up,” Judith laughs. “When we first met, she looked at me like, ‘Wait, mom, you’re sending me with a stranger?’ We look back now and laugh about it.”
Camila admits she was skeptical at first. “I thought she would be some form of therapy my mom had paid for. I thought I’d have to pretend around her,” she recalls. “But I was proven wrong very quickly. She’s so easy to get along with—funny and embarrassing in the best way.”
As the months passed, the relationship blossomed into something that felt natural and comfortable. Judith has noticed the difference. “Camila is a lot more open and willing to talk about things going on in her life,” she shares. “I’m grateful for that trust.” Camila agrees: “At first, I was very careful with what I said, thinking my mom would know everything. Now, I can be myself and treat Judith as a friend. She knows more than some of my closest friends now.”
Their time together has been filled with memorable adventures. From rafting the Poudre River to attending Camila’s first-ever concert—seeing The Marías at Red Rocks—each experience has brought them closer. “Every time I hear one of their songs, I think of Judith,” Camila says. “That night gave me a kind of excitement I hadn’t felt in forever.”
Judith says her proudest accomplishment has been consistency—showing up, making time, and being willing to try new things. For Camila, the program has given her the confidence to step outside her comfort zone. “I’ve popped my bubble,” she explains. “I’ve discovered new hobbies, new interests, and more things about myself.”
For Judith, mentoring is personal. As a child, she participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters and remembers how impactful it was to have someone solely focused on her. “It takes a village to guide and support a young person,” she reflects. “Being a mentor has made me more patient and reminded me that being open to change can lead to deeper connections.”
With their one-year match anniversary approaching, Judith and Camila plan to celebrate at Fright Fest at Elitch Gardens and continue their mentorship well beyond the program’s one-year minimum. Their story is a perfect example of what Partners hopes to create: lasting, life-changing connections.
If you’ve ever considered becoming a mentor, Judith offers this advice: “If you have the time, mental capacity, and heart space—do it. You won’t regret it. The learning and growing goes both ways.”
Partners is always looking for new mentors and community supporters. Whether you volunteer your time, make a donation, or help spread the word, you can be part of helping Northern Colorado youth thrive. Learn more at poweredbypartners.org
“If you have the time, mental capacity, and heart space—do it. You won’t regret it." - mentor Judith Johnson