OGDEN, Utah — Schools in the Ogden School District are working on new ways to meet the basic needs of students and their families. Two high schools opened youth services centers this year to fill some of the gaps in their students’ lives.
“When I was in high school, I lived in a two-bedroom house and there were eight of us, so I slept on the floor my freshman year,” says Alma Palmer, assistant principal at Ogden High School.
Palmer knows what it’s like to not have a safe place or clean clothes. That’s where the new youth centers at Ogden and Ben Lomond high schools come in – because the need for help is growing.
“I think this is really important for students, especially for students whose needs are not being met at home. They should feel safe in a place where they are taken care of, where there are showers and places to relax,” said Anthony Martinez, president of Ogden High’s student government.
The youth centers have food pantries, showers, laundry machines, quiet areas for homework or studying, clothing, school supplies, books, and access to outside resources if additional help is needed. At Ogden High, the Boys and Girls Club offers an afterschool program so children can stay longer if needed.
“The ability to have a free space to come into will impact the rest of their lives,” says Jazmine Gruber, site coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club at Ogden High School.
The center also helps students who may not be in distress but simply need a wellness space to breathe, or who are struggling with social anxiety and need to distance themselves.
This isn’t just true for high schools – Odyssey Elementary School has a Family Resource Center that opened in December.
“It’s incredibly important to have something like this, especially given the proximity to the homeless shelter in this area,” says Destiny DeHerrera, community school coordinator at Odyssey Elementary Family Resource Center.
You want children of all grades to be able to concentrate on the lesson material.
“The kids can come to school and focus on school and not have to worry about what to have for breakfast or dinner or what clothes to wear and whether they are dirty or clean,” DeHerrera added.
They hope to make their students’ lives a little easier.
“The ultimate goal of all education is to make our world a better place, and we will achieve that one child at a time,” Palmer said.
If you would like to help one of the centers, you can learn more on the Ogden School Foundation website.
