Denver Kids in the 1980s

On August 1, 1981, MTV aired its very first video, "Video Killed the Radio Star." In 1982, E.T. hit theaters, further cementing Steven Spielberg into movie directorial history. The Breakfast Club, first airing in 1985, gave us another classic John Hughes rom-com of our dreams. Prince's "Purple Rain" changed the trajectory of the music industry in 1984. The first Nintendo Gameboy went on sale at the end of the decade, in 1989. Oh, the nostalgia!

The 1980s brought some of the most recognizable and iconic parts of American culture. Though these emblematic moments are most often how we recognize this decade, they existed amidst the backdrop of economic instability and a continued national fight for gender and racial equality. In Denver, it was no different.

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. Families were stressed, schools were underfunded, and community support networks were weakened. Denver began to see early signs of drug-related crime, addiction, and community disruption. The economic and social pressures of the recession made it easier for drugs to take hold.

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.

The 1980s saw Denver Girls, a separate organization from Denver Boys at the time, expand 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: doctors, engineers, and scientists.

During this decade, Denver Girls was significantly dropping the teen pregnancy rate for girls in the program, and it quickly became evident that a track was needed to specifically support pregnant and teen moms, who were increasingly referred to Denver Girls by Denver Public Schools. A full-time position was created for this purpose. Denver Girls also worked in partnership with Florence Crittenton Services, a group dedicated to providing pregnant students the unique wraparound support they needed to succeed and support their children. The model of support created by Denver Girls was later adopted by DPS, providing aid for students in many more schools.

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.

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The 1980s was a significant decade for Denver Girls. Meanwhile, Denver Boys continued providing job opportunities, mentorship experiences, academic support, and recreational activities for students.

During this time Denver experienced a mix of economic uncertainty, social instability, drug epidemics, and shifting gender expectations. Both Denver Girls and Denver Boys responded, fiercely creating safe spaces, mentorship, and new experiences for kids who were being hit hardest by the decade. 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.

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