From Garland ISD’s Lakeview Centennial High School Principal Maresa Bailey,
“On behalf of our students, staff and parents at Lakeview Centennial High School in Garland ISD, I am honored to give ‘A Simple Thank You’ to Just Say YES – Youth Equipped to Succeed. Just Say YES has served as a trusted partner for the last nine years, making them of the one of the longest-standing relationships for our campus. I personally have had the pleasure of working with them since 2015 when I became principal.
“I am a strong believer in consistency, and through Just Say YES programming, we have seen significant progress both in our student body and on our campus as a whole. At Lakeview, we strongly believe students need a caring, encouraging campus environment in order to reach their highest potential. This includes strong family support and positive influence from other adult relationships (i.e. teachers, coaches, mentors, etc.)
“Due to this philosophy, we utilize all programs Just Say YES has to offer; from the highly-engaging student assemblies, staff development and parent education programs, to the deeper-impact Peer-to-Peer Mentoring program where upperclassmen mentor incoming freshmen.
“The Peer-to-Peer Mentoring component is where we have truly seen tremendous growth in students. The Just Say YES team invests over 180 hours each school year, supporting 30 students that our administrative team identifies. These particular students start out as ‘at-risk youth’ with little-to-no connection with their peers or positive adult influences. By the end of the program, participating students transform into confident campus leaders, become goal driven, and develop strong character traits that equip them to make right choices in peer pressure situations. It truly is a remarkable thing to witness.
“Having the Just Say YES presence on our campus is one way we can effectively help our students, and it is a partnership I continue to value. We need their programming. Our students need positive voices in their life, telling them that they can achieve better and brighter futures, regardless of their background or circumstance. Whether it is a college degree, certification, or pursuing a vocational career, Just Say YES guides students towards a bigger ‘YES’ in their life, and lets them know that anything is possible. For that, I am forever grateful.
“To learn more about Just Say YES and how to get involved, please visit www.justsayyes.org or contact Director of Development Sarah Conner at sconner@justsayyes.org.”
* Graphic and photo provided by Just Say Yes