L.I.T.

The UFY Leaders in Training Program consists of 24 students from seven different countries, and lasts for five weeks. These students range in age from 13 to 18, and come to us from five different schools in the Salt Lake School District. During their work in the elementary school classrooms, the LITs have attended field trips as chaperones for the younger students, have tutored their students in math and reading, and have helped their classroom teacher in immeasurable ways. In addition to their work as classroom aides, the LITs are receiving programming from UFY where they participate in both the "Strengthening Families" curriculum, and Cornerstone Counseling's "Voices" sessions. Furthermore, the students are working with UFY staff to create a current and professional resume, are getting on-the-job training, will receive a letter of recommendation and small stipend at the completion of the LIT program, and have made innumerable friendships with staff, students, and fellow LITs.

The L.I.T. program's last day is Thursday, July 10. Thank you to everyone for making the program such a success!

AmeriCorps NCCC Team Day

The AmeriCorps NCCC team spent a day with the L.I.T. program last Wednesday. Each NCCC member worked with two L.I.T.'s for an entire day to create a "life story" that they presented to the class. Students made posters, wrote songs, and told their stories in creative and amazing ways. The AmeriCorps NCCC team has been travelling for 10 months, and will head home in July.

Leaders in Training

UFY is in our second year of our Leaders In Training (or L.I.T.) program. L.I.T. is run at an elementary school, in which twenty-five of UFY's middle school and high school-aged students work as teacher's assistants, for five weeks of summer school. L.I.T.'s accompany teachers and elementary students on field trips, assist with classroom management, and build relationships with their class. Participating students must apply, and students who are accepted receive a small stipend, one-on-one help with creating a resume, a letter of recommendation, and on-the-job experience. The program runs until July 11 this year, and has been a tremendous success so far. Check back for updates!

World Refugee Day

Saturday was the annual World Refugee Day, where hundreds of refugees living in the Salt Lake Valley gathered for a soccer tournament, live music, informational booths, and reunions with old friends. UFY was asked to man a booth for Refugee Day, where we distributed information about our various programs and caught up with families who had moved away.

Have You Heard?

Have You Heard? UFY is partnering with the Utah Food Bank to provide meals for our afterschool program this summer. For four weeks, we will be donning hairnets and plastic aprons while we provide dinner for 20 children in our center!

Youth Leadership Summit 2008!

The Youth Leadership Summit 2008 was an incredible time for UFY and its youth. The staff watched as our students built relationships with each other and made new friends, engaged in service learning activities, spent two nights away from home (some for the very first time) at the University of Utah, and were challenged by lectures and speakers. Our students were extremely respectful, engaged, and well-behaved during the entire three-day conference, and we couldn't have been more impressed! Thank you to everyone who participated.

Congratulations, Graduates!!

The Utah Federation for Youth and the Guuleysi Program would like to congratulate the following 2008 graduates, from high school and from the Guuleysi program:

Sadiya
Deqa
Naima
Tito
AJ

Congratulations on a job well done!!

And now, a video from one of our Kindergarten graduates: