Division of Youth Services
COY Kicks Off 2nd Annual "No Empty Seats Today" Campaign
Winter 2012 Newsletter | Commission on Youth
Over the course of a school year, elementary students throughout Salt Lake Valley miss nearly one million school days. In an effort to curb that growing number, Commission on Youth is hosting the 2nd Annual No Empty Seats Today campaign.
Last year, over 20,500 students participated and school attendance with participating schools increased by almost fourty percent! COY invites more schools to be involved in this year’s No Empty Seats Today events on March 14.
The NEST campaign will kick-off with a pep rally and media event at Liberty Elementary School at 10 am. Other participating schools are encouraged to host their own events, such as art contests, assemblies, special food or dress codes for the day and more. For more information or to participate, contact Abby Dean at 801.578.8274 or email la.dean@slcschools.org.
NEST is being organized by the Commission on Youth, a volunteer board appointed by Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon and comprised of 32 individuals in business, government, school districts and the community to advocate for youth policies.
By the Numbers:
• Children who are absent two or more days each school month achieve 25%less than their fellow students
• Ability to read by the 3rd grade correlates directly to high school graduation
• Attending school every day on time sets an example for future successful work habits
• Truancy in elementary school can lead to excessive missed days in middle and high school