With the opening of the Farmington High School Teen Wellness Center on Monday, the Davis School District and Davis Education Foundation moved closer to their goal of providing a Teen Wellness Center in every high school. The only school remaining is Davis High where a wellness center is under construction. 

The centers are dedicated to supporting all students’ well being and providing a safe place where their mental and physical needs can be addressed. They provide a comfortable environment where students in need have access to counseling, laundry and shower facilities and other basic needs taken care of so that they are ready to learn. 

“Imagine yourself as a young child moving from place to place,” said SBO Benson Rose in the opening ceremony. “You never know where you’ll be the next day. You’re likely feeling lost in the constant chaos of life.”

Such was the case of a young boy from a small town in Ohio, he said. “This boy grew up surrounded by poverty, unemployment, and financial insecurity. Everything one does not wish to expose a young child to with an absent father and a single mother.”

He was in and out of homes staying with friends and by the time he was in the fourth grade he lived in more than a dozen places, said Rose. “Despite all of this something remarkable happened. He found refuge within his own community. He was fortunate enough to find the local Boys and Girls Club of Akron, Ohio. This place could meet his basic needs and get him back on the right track.”

Since then, this boy has won four NBA championships, four MVP titles, four Olympic leagues and been a 20 time NBA All Star, he said. “LeBron James’ story only shows the undeniable power of community. We are doing that. The FHS Teen Center is more than a place to do laundry – it’s a lifeline.”

On behalf of the Board of Education, I just wanted to say a big thank you to all the community leaders, the donors and especially those here at Farmington High who really rallied at the local level to make this a reality, said Board member Julie Powell. “You would think it would be very easy for a community like this, that really has many privileges and generally not a lot of housing insecurity to forget about people who do need it. Sometimes we don’t know what other people are going through, but thank you for caring.”

“The district is all about creating opportunities for kids,” said Davis School District Superintendent Dr. Dan Linford. “We do so many things to align resources to ensure that our students can be successful and can seize those opportunities. A teen center in a high school is one more thing. One more space where we can ensure that our students have the best opportunities to succeed.”

“The Farmington High Teen Wellness Center represents what is possible when a community comes together to prioritize the well-being of its youth,” said Jodi Lunt, Executive Director of Davis Education Foundation. “We are so grateful for the support of our sponsors and we are excited to see the positive impact this center will have on our students.”