Blog

Graduation Celebrations were held at Salt Lake County Youth Center on June 2 and Decker Lake Youth Center on June 3rd. Graduates worked hard to complete the graduation requirements and were able to celebrate with their families at the graduation ceremonies. Words of encouragement and counsel were given by Bret Peterson the Director of Utah Division of Juvenile Justice Services, Jason Rosvall the Associate Director of YESS and facilitators at each of the facilities. Each graduate was given opportunity to share some thoughts. We congratulate all who graduated!

Musical numbers were provided by Micah Willis and the the students at Decker Lake Youth Center. Click the links to listen to them.

The YESS staff recently gathered to celebrate the culmination of a most unique year and to say farewell to two of our own as they move into retirement; Carol and Todd.

Carol joined YESS as a math and art teacher at Wasatch Youth Center and then moved to DSI/Gemstone. Todd started with YESS at Decker and then moved onto Salt Lake County Youth Services, teaching math and science. Both came to YESS with many years of experience in other schools and are now leaving YESS the better for their contributions. We wish them both well in the new adventures that await them in retirement!

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Students from DSI/Gemstone recently took a field trip to the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point. “It was great fun!” said Pamela, English and Music teacher.

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It was a day of celebration this past week as two students of YESS fulfilled the requirements to graduate from high school. Both students have been with YESS for about 5 years and have worked closely with our mentoring program. It was a success a long time in the making. We are all proud of your accomplishments! Congratulations!

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The boys at Decker Lake Youth Center had a very special experience on Wednesday when they were able to meet virtually with Salva Dut, the founder of the organization Water for South Sudan and the main character in the true story A Long Walk to Water. It all started earlier this year when the boys read the book in class and decided that they wanted to host their own fundraiser to help build a well in South Sudan. Each boy wrote letters to multiple people encouraging donations for a well. In the end, the boys raised over $2,000! 

Usually, a meeting with Salva is reserved for the organizations that raise the most money. However, Salva was so impressed with the efforts from the boys at Decker, given their circumstances, that he decided he wanted to thank them for their work. 

Even though he is currently in Uganda, Salva met virtually with the boys, talked a little about his life, and gave words of inspiration and encouragement. He stressed that anyone can make a difference no matter their situation. The boys then had the chance to ask questions and even speak with Salva in Dinka and Arabic. It was an incredible experience that happened all because these boys wanted to make a difference.  
Submitted and written by Brian, Social Studies teacher at Decker

Students at Decker Lake Youth Center were able to participate in a Julius Caesar Day presented by the Utah Shakespearean Festival and arranged by Dieter, English teacher at Decker. In years past the education outreach program of the festival would go to the sites to do a presentation followed by some workshops. Due to the restrictions of the pandemic this year, the event was held in a slightly more creative fashion. Students watched a production of Julius Caesar online and then participated in two Zoom workshops.

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This 8-day workshop taught the students about the environmental problems associated with human overconsumption of resources and how the 3 Rs can help – reduce, reuse and recycle. During these 8 days, students created their own collages out of unwanted materials.  They took a virtual tour of the Utah Museum of Fine Art where they saw works of art made from unusual materials and relating to overconsumption.  Students learned about Haiku and created poems in that form, expressing the ideas that they had been learning.  On the final day of the workshop students shared the ideas and concepts they had learned over the 8 days, the Haiku poems created by the boys were shared with each group and the boys received a certificate of completion for all their hard work.
Thanks to Angie, teacher and site facilitator at Decker for this write-up

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An assembly was held today at DSI/Gemstone to recognize students who made the Honor Roll for the third quarter of this school year. Congratulations, students!

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Students studying astronomy in David’s Science class at Detention, drew this model of the solar system!

Students from DSI/Gemstone had the opportunity to go to the Loveland Living Aquarium recently. They had to qualify by having a certain grade average from 6 of their 8 classes. All had a great time and “it was really fun to go somewhere, said Pamela, English and Music Teacher”!

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