YUHSD employees to get $250 each

The Yuma Union High School District governing board on Wednesday approved a one-time $250 payment to district employees hired by Sept. 12, 2012.

In May, the governing board approved the compensation plan for 2012-2013, which included a one-time payment that would be based on enrollment numbers. The final 100th day student count for January 2012 was 10,869.

In other meeting news, teachers will have access to EverFi, a financial literacy program, to be blended into their classes. The 10-module, six-hour program curriculum covers topics such as banking, credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401(k)s and other key concepts. After completing the course, students will earn a Certification in Financial Literacy.

1st Bank Yuma is sponsoring the district for the program.

Lastly, youths in Yuma County will be a part of statewide forum next month to discuss civic leadership, without ever leaving Yuma.

Shelley Mellon, chairwoman of the Southwest Arizona Futures Forum (SAFF), made a presentation to the YUHSD board about the opportunity for high school and college students to be a part of a statewide video conference discussion about how to change Arizona for the better.

Live video connection of the Arizona Youth Town Hall-Civic Leadership Forum will be fed into Yuma's City Hall to open up the conversation to include Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University.

“We think this is a great skill set that we think students will learn that they will be able to take on for the rest of their career, being able to learn how to lead a meeting and being able to facilitate and act as a recorder in group discussions,” said Mellon.

Comments by students during the forum will be shared with state leaders and lawmakers.

Although the event is free, she said, registration is required as space is limited to 200 students. To register, students should e-mail echavez@yumaregional.org or call 336-3030.

The event will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 24. Early check-in will begin at 1:30 p.m., and there will be career booths, games, prizes and food. Students are encouraged to bring their smartphones to interact in discussions via Facebook and Twitter.

Visit www.safuturesforum.org for more information about past SAFF events.