Bonneville High School opens new teen center to help students in crisis
Jun 19, 2024, 6:03 PM | Updated: 6:40 pm
Bonneville High School hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new teen center, on June 18, 2024 in Weber County. (Heather Peterson)
(Heather Peterson)
WASHINGTON TERRACE, Utah — Bonneville High School has unveiled a new teen center to support homeless students, and others who may be in crisis.
The Weber School Foundation and its many partners held a ribbon cutting at the facility on Tuesday. Bonneville’s teen center has a kitchen, laundry facilities, a shower, and a food pantry. On top of that, it has a cozy living room area, and study rooms so students can have a quiet place to work.
“Once we became aware that there are as many as 900 students in the Weber School District that consider themselves or identify as homeless … we were all in,” said Steve Kier, Teen Center Committee Chair for the Weber School Foundation.
Kier says this is part of a larger effort to help teens in crisis across the school district.
“This project started out as one teen center and one high school. Well, it has manifested itself into a much larger capital campaign to include six teen centers and six high schools,” Kier said.
New teen centers across Weber School District
Bonneville is the second high school in the district to get a teen center. Two Rivers High School opened up their teen center last year. Kier says construction will be complete at Roy High School in August. Construction at Weber High School and Fremont High School in December.
Construction at Westfield High School will begin this school year, but the completion date has yet to be determined.
This project has come about because of the collaboration of many in the community. The Weber School Foundation, the Weber School District, and the Ogden Weber Chamber of Commerce Spikers are among the supporters.
At Tuesday’s ribbon cutting, many expressed that when students have their needs met, they can focus less on survival and more on their studies.
“These teen centers will provide a sanctuary and resources that any student in crisis can rely on,” Kier said. “They can depend on it, and get on with their education.”‘
