Phil Qualman first came to Eagle County the way a lot of people do: chasing the outdoors. A Kansas City kid who grew up taking ski trips to Colorado, he knew early on that this was where he was meant to be.
What he didn't know yet was that educating the valley's youth would become his life's work.
Over the last 20+ years, Phil has worn nearly every hat the Eagle County School District has to offer: teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and for the last seven years, superintendent. He also serves on the Vail Valley Foundation's Education Committee, working alongside the VVF to strengthen the partnership between the school district and Youth Power, VVF’s education nonprofit, which has become central to how Eagle County School District supports its students.
Now, Phil is preparing to say goodbye. This spring, he'll step away from the superintendent role, capping a career that has shaped the educational landscape of this community. It’s a story defined by collaboration and an unwavering belief that when a community works together, its kids can thrive.
It's also a story deeply intertwined with Youth Power and the Vail Valley Foundation's education mission.
From the River to the Classroom
Phil's path to the superintendent's office wasn't exactly traditional. He first arrived in Eagle County in 1991 as a camp counselor and raft guide. He spent 15 years in the outdoor recreation industry before a volunteer opportunity at a local charter school sparked a new calling. He taught English overseas, earned his teaching certification, and eventually landed a social studies position at Battle Mountain High School.
At Battle Mountain, Phil spent 11 years progressing from the classroom to the front office, eventually becoming principal and helping design the school's current campus. From there, he stepped into district administration, and in 2019, the school board selected him as superintendent.
Working Together to Fill Gaps
Eagle County's schools serve a diverse student body: longtime locals, recent arrivals, English language learners, and students from every end of the economic spectrum. That diversity is one of the valley's great strengths, but it also means children can arrive at the schoolhouse door with vastly different levels of education access, preparedness, and experience.
"We are faced with a challenge of differentiating instruction to meet diverse backgrounds," Phil says. "I think we do a pretty good job."
It's in meeting those challenges that the partnership between Eagle County Schools and Youth Power has proven essential. The VVF's education initiative provides programming from early childhood through college and career readiness, engaging more than 4,000 students and families across the valley each year.
"What Youth Power brings to the table for us would be hard to replace," Phil says. "Youth Power creates supplemental academic opportunities for kids that otherwise couldn't afford it and wouldn't have that opportunity. Where there's an achievement gap, those kinds of programs really work to fill that gap."
Youth Power programs like PwrHrs Afterschool provide targeted academic support, while COPA Soccer builds camaraderie, confidence, and a sense of belonging among kids from vastly different backgrounds. Valley Scholars provides scholarship support to help graduating seniors pursue postsecondary degrees. Together, these programs create a safety net that catches students at every stage, addressing needs the school system alone cannot meet.
What sets the partnership apart, Phil says, is that it's strategic. Youth Power tracks participation, attendance, grades, and disciplinary data in coordination with the school district to evaluate which programs are working and allocate resources accordingly.
"They're not just a supportive nonprofit," Phil says. "They bring a business sense to it, to make sure we're getting results."
Career-Readiness Collaboration
That collaborative spirit extends to the district's own initiatives. As assistant superintendent, Phil created CareerX, which connects students with local businesses for job shadows, internships, and apprenticeships. It has grown into a collaborative effort involving more than 50 local businesses, including the Vail Valley Foundation. The program allows students to earn high school credit, and some even leave with college credit and guaranteed employment after graduation.
"It was something that we knew was needed in the community, and we just brought the right people together," Phil says. "Now it's one of the best internship and apprenticeship programs in the state."
The program is part of a broader ecosystem of career-readiness initiatives in the valley, including the Eagle County Collaborative for Career Pathways: a partnership between Eagle County Schools, Youth Power, and the Vail Valley Partnership that aims to bridge the gap between education and employment in the community.
Colorado's K-12 funding ranks among the lowest in the nation, and the district simply cannot do everything it needs to do on its own. That reality makes these partnerships not just valuable, but essential. And the outcomes are proof of what's possible when organizations stop working in silos and start working together for kids.
"We have a culture of collaboration here," he says. "I personally always try to default to yes. And I think a lot of people in this community share that same mentality."
Youth Power, Phil says, is a perfect example of that collaborative culture. "There are few organizations that we partner with that have the kind of reach that Youth Power has," he says. "The variety of programming, the targeted interventions, the desire, technology, and know-how to track progress — it all speaks to a responsible nonprofit that wants to prove results."
A Legacy of Empowering Students
When Phil steps down this spring, he'll leave behind a district shaped by his priorities. He grew the district's affordable educator housing inventory from 30 units to 150, with another 120 in the pipeline. He launched CareerX. He helped create an in-house school-based therapy program to address student mental health. And he built a culture centered on student voice and belonging.
"Giving kids a voice is important," he says. "Teaching them that they need to be stewards of their schools, of their communities. Teaching them how to be leaders, how to be courageous."
"We need them to be active participants in making our community a better place," he says. "And I feel like we're accomplishing that every day."
As for what’s next? Phil is recently engaged, with a wedding on the horizon. He is preparing to see his youngest son join the Marine Corps after graduating from Battle Mountain this spring. And while he plans to stay involved in K-12 education in some capacity, he is confident in the future of the district and in the partnerships that will carry the work forward in his absence.
“Youth Power has a strong track record of being there and providing services where they're needed most. I trust that to continue,” he says. "I think that's the best thing I can say about any organization: that they'll be here, doing the work, long after any one of us has moved on."
To learn how you can support the Vail Valley Foundation's education initiatives through Youth Power, visit youthpower365.org/support.
