By: Nathan C. & Nevaeha R.
Elyse Baker is a clinical social worker and wraparound facilitator at Mountain Range High School. Throughout her many years working within the district she has benefited the community in a variety of ways eventually leading up to her efforts at Mountain Range High School and the creation of the Mustang Merc. Ms. Baker is dedicated to assisting high-need families such as those experiencing homelessness or involved within the legal system. She has put forward lots of efforts towards connecting families with essential resources and advocates for everybodies well-being.
Right now Ms. Baker has been helping expand one of her many wonderful efforts: The Mustang Merc which has recently expanded to be open to all of the Adams 12 school district as referral only. The Merc started during the pandemic when a grant was received to create resource rooms within schools. While other schools gave just the basic necessities, Ms. Baker wanted to make sure Mountain Range High School had a variety of food options and did more. In current times she has expanded the room and obtained a partnership with Food Bank of the Rockies which provides ~2000 pounds of food every week.
The Merc offers a variety of items for everyone giving loads of choices in fresh produce, milk, eggs, hygiene supplies, and culturally competent foods such as Halal options as well as clothing. Ms. Baker has put much effort into ensuring the merc is accessible and confidential with an option for families and students to order online. These efforts allow students and families to grab items while eliminating any stigma associated. From all of these actions the Merc now provides food and other basic essentials to around 600+ individuals a month.
Ms. Baker works tirelessly and spends countless hours sourcing, transporting, and organizing all the resources needed for the Merc. Mr. Marks, a counselor at Mountain Range who has worked closely with her, describes her as, “one of a kind,” going on to describe her endless compassion and resourcefulness. He highlighted how much her efforts have changed the lives of individuals and families and how grateful Mountain Range is to have her.
Ms. Baker’s title, Wraparound Facilitator is a unique title that she joked only she knows the meaning of. However, it is quite a wonderful role, she helps manage cases for high need families ensuring all students can obtain equal educational opportunities. She utilizes the Mustang Merc as a first step to build deeper connections with families and offer them broader support. She has helped many families with housing assistance and utility relief, ensuring they had the basic needs met. Her role also has helped individuals gain assistance in enrolling in programs such as Medicaid or working directly with probation officers to support students going through legal troubles.
Overviewing Ms. Baker’s efforts towards the Merc and the many other things she helps with, it is clear to see the massive impact Ms. Baker has on Mountain Range High School and the surrounding community. If anyone is interested in getting food, school supplies, or household and hygiene items from the Mustang Merc to take home, students can stop by Wednesday during Academic Support or during open hours which are Mon-Fri 2:45 - 3:30! Alternatively students and families can fill out an order form by scanning the QR code on this article! To fully conclude this, thank you Ms. Baker for all that you do!