We Help Adolescents
Make Healthy Choices
Empowering teens and preteens through our programs and providing training to the adults who serve them.
We Help Adolescents
Education for a Lifetime promotes conversations around adolescent relationships and mental health, with an emphasis on sexual activity and suicide prevention. While advocating for optimal whole-person health, EFL focuses on removing stigma around these topics. We believe that every student should have healthy, non-violent relationships, and have access to help and hope to live purposefully.
For Students
For Educators & Youth Workers
For Parents
For Students
We offer our Pursue program for both middle and high school students. Pursue Middle School introduces students to important topics around relationships and boundaries. Pursue High School encourages students to avoid high-risk behaviors, and is meant to be taught alongside the human anatomy and sexuality unit in high schools.
Who Can Relate is a conversation-driven program that encourages students to identify their value and self-worth in order to prevent suicide, bullying, self-harm, abusive relationships, and more. This program is designed to be taught alongside health classes in schools, and is adaptable to different school schedules.
For Educators & Youth Workers
This training is for individuals and organizations who work with youth ages 12-18 who are in crisis, experiencing a mental health challenge, or struggling with addiction. The course covers common mental health challenges for youth and typical adolescent development, then teaches a 5-step action plan for helping adolescents in need. Those who pass the course attain a Youth MHFA certification.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
This training is for individuals and organizations who work with youth and want to become trauma-informed community care members. The course covers basic knowledge of trauma and provides strategies for reducing the impact of trauma among children, families, and communities.
For Parents
Our Parent Talks are designed to help parents learn why and how to have conversations with their adolescent about sexual activity, relationships, suicide, and other high-risk behaviors. These talks are led by our skilled trainers, who equip and empower parents by sharing tips for having conversations with teens or preteens and providing resources on each challenging topic.
Our Staff
Allen Hunter
Director
Allen has worked with youth and families for over 25 years. He has a Master’s Degree in Youth, Family & Culture, along with multiple certifications.
Learn More About Allen
Learn More About Allen
Laiken Gifford
Assistant Director
Laiken was born and raised in Canon City, Colorado. She went to West Texas A&M to pursue her degree in Advertising and Public Relations. She is happy to now be back in her home state in Colorado Springs.
Learn More About Laiken
Learn More About Laiken
Sienna Adams
Lead Speaker
Sienna has worked at EFL for several years and holds several certifications. She began her involvement with suicide prevention programs and groups in 2016, after surviving a suicide cluster at her high school.
Learn More About Sienna
Learn More About Sienna
Kodi Green
EFL Speaker
Kodi earned her degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University. She’s been passionate about mental health for as long as she can remember and feels grateful to combine her love for psychology with a desire to speak truth and support others.
Learn More About Kodi
Learn More About Kodi
Featured Article
Recent Blog Posts
Parents
Students
Teachers
Mental Health & Suicide Prevention
Healthy Relationships & Sex
Social Media
Parents
The Impact of Social Media Algorithms on Mood and Mental Health
March 9, 2026
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lose track of time on your phone? You open an app to check one thing and
What to Do When You’re Overwhelmed: A Step‑by‑Step (Mental Health) Action Plan
February 24, 2026
Feeling overwhelmed can sneak up on you — one minute you’re doing okay, and the next, everything feels too heavy. Whether it’s school, relationships, family,
“Stop, You’re Embarrassing Me”
February 2, 2026
“Stop, you’re embarrassing me.” I can still hear it—probably because I said it myself as a teenage girl. For many parents, the talk feels awkward,
Students
The Impact of Social Media Algorithms on Mood and Mental Health
March 9, 2026
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lose track of time on your phone? You open an app to check one thing and
What to Do When You’re Overwhelmed: A Step‑by‑Step (Mental Health) Action Plan
February 24, 2026
Feeling overwhelmed can sneak up on you — one minute you’re doing okay, and the next, everything feels too heavy. Whether it’s school, relationships, family,
Healthy Relationships and Boundaries: What You Should Know
January 16, 2026
Friendships and relationships can be fun, supportive, and sometimes tricky. Knowing your boundaries makes things easier. Boundaries are not about controlling anyone. They are about
Teachers
Managing Screen Time In The New Year : Without Cutting Everything Out!
January 2, 2026
Let’s be honest — screens are a big part of our lives. Between school assignments, texting friends, watching videos, and scrolling social media, it can
When A Student Opens Up
December 16, 2025
It’s one thing to teach a lesson, another to handle the moments when a student opens up about something difficult. Maybe it’s stress at home,
A Tattoo, A Message, A Daily Reminder: Why “Be Kind” Means So Much to Me
October 14, 2025
It was a spontaneous college night. The kind that probably started with late-night food and ended in a tattoo shop. I was with a few
Mental Health & Suicide Prevention
The Impact of Social Media Algorithms on Mood and Mental Health
March 9, 2026
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lose track of time on your phone? You open an app to check one thing and
What to Do When You’re Overwhelmed: A Step‑by‑Step (Mental Health) Action Plan
February 24, 2026
Feeling overwhelmed can sneak up on you — one minute you’re doing okay, and the next, everything feels too heavy. Whether it’s school, relationships, family,
When A Student Opens Up
December 16, 2025
It’s one thing to teach a lesson, another to handle the moments when a student opens up about something difficult. Maybe it’s stress at home,
Healthy Relationships & Sex
“Stop, You’re Embarrassing Me”
February 2, 2026
“Stop, you’re embarrassing me.” I can still hear it—probably because I said it myself as a teenage girl. For many parents, the talk feels awkward,
Healthy Relationships and Boundaries: What You Should Know
January 16, 2026
Friendships and relationships can be fun, supportive, and sometimes tricky. Knowing your boundaries makes things easier. Boundaries are not about controlling anyone. They are about
The Power of Purpose: Why Knowing Your “Why” Changes Everything
June 11, 2025
Have you ever thought, “Why does this even matter?” I think all of us had that thought at some point. For me, it is when
Social Media
The Impact of Social Media Algorithms on Mood and Mental Health
March 9, 2026
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lose track of time on your phone? You open an app to check one thing and
Managing Screen Time In The New Year : Without Cutting Everything Out!
January 2, 2026
Let’s be honest — screens are a big part of our lives. Between school assignments, texting friends, watching videos, and scrolling social media, it can
The Power of Purpose: Why Knowing Your “Why” Changes Everything
June 11, 2025
Have you ever thought, “Why does this even matter?” I think all of us had that thought at some point. For me, it is when
Testimonials
What students, teachers, and parents have to say about Education for a Lifetime…
*Name has been changed for confidentiality
