Back to School!

Destiny is ready to mentor this year! 

3rd hour enjoying some time outside on Friday.

Welcome back! We have returned to Shaw Heights for the 2017-2018 school year and we could not be more excited for the year ahead. We had so many former mentees who have come back this year to serve as mentors and I know we have such a strong group of leaders ready to help out! I have had countless students come by my room to ask if they can join YESS and I am so grateful to our amazing counselors as they work to schedule everyone we possible can into YESS.

A wonderful answer from one of our 2nd year mentors! 

Ivan worked with several others to build an impressive Jenga domino line!

Our first week back was a week for us to connect as a class and to begin forming a sense of community. We showed the YESS video to the new mentees, shared artwork and stories from last year, and did some fun team builders and games to get people up and moving and interacting with one another. On Thursday we did our first lesson on introductions and the importance of understanding one's self in order to set up healthy relationships. Our scholars got to know more about one another as they worked on a "Let Me Introduce Myself" worksheet. I was shocked to find out one of our new scholars has been skydiving, and another is a competitive gamer! We also have a new scholar from the Philippines who is so excited to be in YESS.

Outside with 4th hour on Friday.

Our room is set and ready, and next week we will begin working on some of our first art projects, such as our Coat of Arms. We are working with a new curriculum this year and have so many awesome new lessons on things like the teenage brain and drugs. Stay tuned as we begin our new school year together!