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Youth Empowerment
YESS Institute to administer Youth Mentor Leadership Program
YESS Institute Partners with The Center for International Studies (CIS) at West High and Baker Middle School to Promote Change from “Kids Helping Kids”
The not-for-profit YESS – Youth Empowerment Support Services – Institute will teach the Youth Mentor Leadership Program to 50 Denver Public School students. They will learn through role-playing, video feedback and interactive exercises, practical ways to integrate social emotional skills into their daily lives.
Linda Torres, the Baker principal says: “With high percentages of Latino population in both schools, the West students will send a strong message of Latino leadership within the community to the Baker middle school students”.
CIS students will partner with 25 Baker students as one-to-one mentors for the YESS Mentor Leadership Program. Five West students will be peer educators in EQ Social Emotional Training to the middle school students on alternate days.
Dr. Daniel Lutz, Director of CIS says, “Student participation in the YESS Youth Program is an ideal way for them to develop leadership skills, and to engage in a meaningful and valuable way in our immediate community”. Each CIS student will be educated in team building, positive role modeling and communication skills by completing the YESS’ Mentor Leadership Program.
For educational reinforcement, evaluation purposes and raising community awareness, the Rocky Mountain SER Denver Head Start Media Department will produce a seven-minute documentary of the program. YESS gives a big thanks to Dr. Maria Guajardo Lucero at the Mayor’s Office for Education and Children for funding this part of the Program.
We also give a special thanks to Dr. Dan Lutz and Linda Torres for their collaboration.
The program was made possible thanks to the financial support from the Daniels Fund and Janus Foundation.
Educational consultant and YESS board member Dr. Martha M. Urioste says, “During these challenging times, it is imperative to focus on positive youth development, human rights education, and emotional intelligence.”
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