CLEARFIELD—There are more than 1,200 students in the Davis School District experiencing homelessness. Many young people are living in cars, abandoned buildings, couch surfing or on their own. The Davis Education Foundation is removing the barriers to learning by opening teen centers to give kids a place to go. The first one opened at Clearfield High last week.

“If you don’t feel accepted you won’t attend school,” said Davis Education Foundation Director Jodi Lunt. “We want to provide a safe space where they can shower, do laundry, homework and receive social and mental health assistance so they can be successful academically.”

The Clearfield Cares Teen Center is the first facility in the district with plans to construct three more at Woods Cross, Layton and North Ridge High schools.  

“It has a full pantry and mindfulness center,” said Lunt. “We repurposed the old visiting team’s locker room. There are two suites for students’ personal space with a microwave, full laundry and a locker where they can store their belongs so that they don’t have to carry it around all day.”

The center is continually monitored by people the teens know, she said. “It’s staffed by counselors and social workers who facilitate the experiences going on.”

The mindfulness center is for all students and faculty to use, Lunt said. “It’s in a room right behind the teen center. They offer things like counseling, yoga and one-on-one intervention.”

Construction on the Woods Cross teen center is set to begin in late summer or early fall. “We’re currently raising money for all four,” she said. “We can use donations of hygiene kits, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, socks, underwear, detergent and towels.”

Every student deserves a hot shower and clean clothes, said Lunt. “We know if we meet those needs we can keep young people in school and hopefully break that cycle of poverty and homelessness. We need help from Davis County residents for these students. I have all the faith in the world that communities will step up to make this a possibility and create hope for these students.”

To donate go to https://dsdgive.net/event/992