New teen center at North Sanpete High School strives to boost student engagement

SALT LAKE CITY — A new teen center opening at North Sanpete High School aims to serve students in the rural community.

Lindsay Beesley, a social worker for North Sanpete School District said the new center makes student involvement in school activities more accessible. 

“For a lot of our students, to be able to be involved in activities after school or like the games or different  school put on events, they don’t have the transportation to do so because the communities are spread so far out,” said Beesley.

“Our team center coordinator, she’ll provide activities and things after school and maybe we might incorporate like some skills and different things, just to kind of make it a space of like connection and learning.”

What will the teen center provide?

She said the center includes showers, a laundry facility, food, and a space to hang out.

According to the Policy Project over 15,000 Utah students are experiencing homelessness. In 2004,  thanks to these kinds of teen centers. over 60,000 students now have increased access to basic needs services.

This is one of over 70 centers school funded by the Policy Project who build teen centers across the state. According to the Policy Project, over 60,000 teens had increased access to these services last year.

Related: Over 50 schools working on building teen resource centers