Whitehorse High School Website

The San Juan County Youth Coalition selected nine WHS scholars for the Capitol Hill Day at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In preparation, the scholars attended two legislative youth training meetings before the trip. Then, youth from WHS, MV, SJHS, and MHS collaborated on current House bills. Scholars were able to tour the Utah State Capitol and meet the Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Senator David P. Hinkins, and the House Representative Logan Monson.

We are happy that two of our WHS scholars, Katiana Ben (Miss Indian Broken Train Princess) and Takori Littlehat (Miss Navajo Nation Marine Corps Princess), were invited to experience and join Representative Logan Monson on the House floor. This was an amazing experience for WHS scholars, and they presented themselves professionally.

The Youth Ambassador Program helps scholars be informed, prepared and responsible members of the community by teaching them how to navigate emergencies and unexpected situations. They do this by raising awareness and educating juniors and seniors about disasters that could happen near our area, such as earthquakes.

Throughout this program, WHS scholars will learn essential response skills for natural disasters, medical crises and safety concerns that are relevant both in and out of school environments. Ambassadors will receive hands on training with EMS partners, giving scholars exposure to real emergency procedures. They are also going to train in different areas such as disaster preparedness, basic first aid and response skills, as well as leadership and communication. They will learn these skills by creating emergency plans, first aid plus evacuation procedures, and public speaking and presenting skills. These skills will help scholars stay calm under pressure, learn how to act accordingly and make the right decisions when it really matters.

One Senior particiant said, "It is making me think about what kind of disaster plan we have in this community." Another stated, "This program is giving us an idea of how to plan for our family." Youth Preparedness Ambassadors are encouraged to share important safety information with their peers, the staff and families. By spreading this knowledge, Youth Preparedness Ambassadors will help create a safer environment for everyone by increasing awareness within the community.

This work is funded by something called the Pediatric Pandemic Network, a federally funded program working to improve preparedness for children and families. We have a particular focus on community engagement, and here in UT we are trying hard to focus on our rural areas and support communities that haven’t always received the resources they need (I would say there have been disparities in resources but we aren’t allowed to use the word “disparity” as easily as we used to). 

Here is a link to the mission and vision of the grant. 

Twelve (12) parents, plus SJSD Board Member Lucille Cody and SJSD CTE Director Jeanna Grover, participatned in the Parent Climate Conference on Wednesday, January 28. Celebrations included:

* The scholar/faculty interactions,

* Scholars asking questions,

* Efforts with grading for learning,

* Well organized classrooms,

* Clear expectations,

* Scholar engagement and why they are learning the lesson,

* Substitutes knew what to do,

* How scholars set and monitor goals, and

* The master scheduling process that begins with scholar interests and results in high percentages of scholars completing a CTE Pathway.

The Parent Climate Conference participants recommended the school implement a timely incentive program for attendance and improved reading skills.

Counseling Department Overview for January 2026