“DINNER!” The calls rang out as students at Life House Youth Center rushed into the kitchen. The area was newly decorated for the holidays, and a Yule Log was burning on TV.

Before each nightly dinner, program director Stefan Wehmeyer usually takes time to make announcements. Yesterday, Wehmeyer wanted to talk with the youth about something different: Anxiety. “Sometimes in our lives and in our homes, we have stuff that’s not easy.”

This statement holds true for students, staff, and volunteers alike. Life House Youth Center opened last September in Sullivan, Missouri, where the local school district serves students from Franklin, Crawford, and Washington counties. Youth in the area face many challenges. According to a Life House survey, at least half of the students who visit the center have an incarcerated parent. Census estimates from 2016 suggest that in Franklin County, 15.2% of children live in poverty, with even higher percentages of child poverty in Crawford and Washington counties (Missouri KIDS COUNT, 2018).

Wehmeyer asked the students what they knew about anxiety before sharing some of his own past struggles with them. He talked about how being constantly anxious and worried can lead to problems later in life. Wehmeyer ended his discussion by teaching the students about self-regulation and leading a breathing exercise. He reminded the youth that staff members and volunteers were willing to talk about difficult things.

If you are interested in learning more about Life House Youth Center, please visit their website at https://www.lhcsullivan.org/ or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lifehousecenter/

For more information about the 2018 Missouri KIDS COUNT Data Book, please visit https://mokidscount.org/missou...t-data-book-release/