What Lawrence County says about Youth First
“I first became aware of Youth First in December of 2019. As I learned more about the dramatic impact in the lives of our students who are being helped by Youth First’s approach to early intervention and the notion that one adult with a caring word and approach can make a difference, I became an advocate for Youth First and a champion to grow their services to Lawrence County, specifically Mitchell Schools.”
“We all know many students come to school carrying burdens like poverty, family substance abuse, grief, depression, and anxiety. These kids are more likely to struggle in and out of school without access to the proper coaching. Building resilience in those children is a wise investment because they are tomorrow’s leaders and workforce.”
“Many of us can’t fathom what our young people face, but the anonymous stories we’re hearing already and the referrals that are being made just during the first few weeks of the school year have the opportunity to be life-changing for our students. We have to be open to making sure our youth and their families retain Youth First’s valuable service.”
“We’ve been screaming that we’re getting help in the wrong area. We’ve got kids that go through trauma that many of us can’t imagine. You can’t move the needle on academics if you ignore these issues.”
“Mitchell Community Schools knew we needed a social worker, but until Melinda became a part of our team, we didn’t fully realize how much she was needed by the students, staff, and community. She is able to connect our students and families to resources in our community. Melinda is a major part of the success some of our most struggling students are having.”
