4/24/17-4/28/17

This week was a very busy week for YESS students. This week students continued to work on learning about credit and debt, how to budget and save for things they want, and also learned about investing. We discussed how loan programs can have higher interest rates because of ethnicity and race.

On Wednesday, the YESS breakfast took place at the PPA event center.  Casianna from 6th period talked about the impacts of losing her mother at such young age. Casianna spoke about grief and how it lead to carrying around anger. She discussed how the anger would come out at school and on others. I was very proud of her for speaking about losing her mother to breast cancer and how she has tried to do better this school year. Many of the people at my table cried and told me what an amazing young lady she is.

Eight other seniors attended the event and networked and made some amazing connections. Throughout the week I have had many people emailing me asking me about a some of the students that attended the breakfast. One has offered Casianna a basketball scholarship, and another person has offered to help another student with making connection at a school he will be attending in the fall. Overall, this was another successful YESS breakfast.

4/17/17-4/20/17

With only a month left of school, students are getting to the end of the new YESS Curriculum. Currently students are working on financial literacy. This week students discussed the value of money, as well as reflected on what they spend money on when they are sad, happy, have anxiety, and as a class we discussed why we spend money on the things we do, when we feel a certain way. Students also worked on goals they have with money and set short tern, midterm, and long term financial goals. This week students began to do research on credit and debt. We will continue to work on financial literacy next week.

This week mentor leaders at North met mentor leaders from West High School, Adams City High School, and from Lincoln High School. The mentors from all 4 high schools met to discuss the end of the year event, who should be awarded mentee and mentor of the year, and decided on which students will share their story. Students also put together the outline of the event, who will speak, and what they will say. I am very excited to for the event and see all of the hard work mentors leaders are putting in to make this even happen!

4/10/17- 4/14/17

Students in YESS mentoring have been working diligently on the YESS curriculum. Last week we discussed stereotypes and labels. We discussed situations where we have been stereotyped or labeled, and how it made us feel. After students discussed this last week, students came up with the idea to express who they are through art. Students spent some time catching up on missing work while also working on self-portraits. Students presented who they are beyond stereotypes and beyond labels.

Also this week, we finished our nutrition lessons and discussed  how we continue to put our health first based on the research that was done during nutrition 101. Many students expressed how hard it is to eat healthy because they live in a food desert, a location where there are no grocery stores. Students also mentioned why eating healthy is hard. One student said, " I get 20 dollars a week, so I can only spend 5 dollars each day on lunch. Salads cost more than burgers or fries, so I have to budget what I can afford into my lunch." Some students made suggestions of packing lunch from home, but some students argued that the food at home is not healthy either because of money. This was eye opening because it can be easy to make suggestion and tell students to eat healthy, however everyone's circumstances are different. Healthy food costs more money than fatty foods, and at a young age, it is very hard for students to control what goes into their bodies. Students made plans on walking more and being more active during the day.

Overall this was a great week in YESS at North. Students were able to create a work of art that demonstrates who they are, as well as learned more about how to care for themselves, not just emotionally, but physically.

April 3rd- April 7th

This week students returned to North after a week of Spring Break. Students came back ready to work. this week students returned ready to talk about food and feelings. We discussed food and the impact these foods will have on our bodies and minds. Student then had a long discussion about food and emotional eating. Many said that sometimes when they study they eat so that they can stay awake. Some said they eat just because they are bored or sad.

The next lesson we did this week was "Labels and Stereotypes." We defined labels, stereotypes, and microagressions. Students discussed times they were stereotyped, labeled, or judged. Student then shared who they were. Some answers varied but one that stood out to me came from Mary. She said, "Some people would think that I am uneducated and in a gang. But I love school and care about my education. I am smart!" .

This week Emily came to help students apply for a summer job opportunity as well as remind students about their Always Up scholarships.

                                                         

35 days of school left!