Y.E.S.S Youth Education and Safety in Schools
The Youth Education and Safety in Schools program was created to reach students and their parents in a positive way. YESS is supported by the Douglas County School District as an evidence-based, 21st-century learning model with a strong emphasis on social-emotional learning.
Y.E.S.S. is a proactive collaboration between law enforcement, schools, and the community to develop life skills for our future leaders.
Y.E.S.S. instructors are School Resource Officers who primarily teach middle school students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade health classes about:
- Relationships
- Digital Safety
- Substance Abuse
Students continue to receive various classes on safety and legal topics from their respective School Resource Officers in high school as well.
Information for Parents
YESS instructors also provide numerous Parent Academies each year, as a free opportunity for parents to connect with our instructors and learn about the many challenges facing our youth.
Y.E.S.S Instructors
Deputy Heidman joined the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in 2014 and has been teaching YESS since 2016. As a former mental health professional with a master’s degree in psychology, he brings a vibrant energy and unique perspective to the classroom, with a strong emphasis on social emotional development.
Deputy Hathaway joined Law Enforcement in 2004 and has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 2007, with the majority of that time spent in the patrol division and working with our community. Because of this long tenure, Deputy Hathaway brings this expertise/experience to the YESS program. This insight has been tremendous in helping our youth understand and problem solve issues that may impact their day to day lives and gives them a different perspective on the challenges we all face in our world. “I truly enjoy working and spending time in the classroom with our youth and helping them overcome obstacles in their lives.”