The Greeley Dream Team’s partnership at Jefferson High School (JHS), tackles problems that specifically affect students from an alternative school setting through Discovery: The Peer Leadership Program. Discovery is a curriculum that incorporates academic, social and emotional learning to engage the student and set them on a path for success. This program develops student’s social skills, communication skills, team building, and anger management strategies.  Discovery: The Peer Leadership Program is a series of classes (I, II, & III) based on the Discovery curriculum, and each course builds upon itself. The curriculum teaches what it takes to be successful at school and work, creates a positive learning environment between teacher and student, develops an atmosphere of trust and respect, and how to utilize positive behavior support. Starting with Discovery I the class occurs over a 9-week school quarter with daily classes, being an hour and a half in length. Students will learn problem solving, positive communication, team building, and anger management skills over the course of the class. Students must pass Level I and show motivation in order to take Level II. They must then be recommended by school staff to take Level III. In Discovery II, students will focus on deeper communication skills with peers and staff, understanding environmental influences, behavioral and psychological insight and building positive relations with the community in part by completing a minimum of two community service activities. Lastly, in Discovery III, students work to understand the multi-dimensions of conflict, how it applies to themselves and their school, the qualities of a leader and have opportunities to demonstrate it.  To put their skills into practice, students participate in community service activities and use Discovery language in core classes. This program provides students with a sociological and cultural platform to become leaders, participate in community service activities, and gain specialized skills in mediating conflicts for varying situations. Research shows that these skills of social and emotional learning can be taught and learned, much like academics (Merrell & Gueldner, 2010) in a student’s learning environment if the opportunity is provided.The Discovery Program provides the critical opportunity for some of Greeley’s highest risk students. 

2020-2021 People Served by Area of Weld County

• Carbon Valley (Berthoud, Dacono, Erie, Firestone, Frederick, Longmont, Mead, Northglenn, Thornton): 0
• County Seat (Evans, Garden City, Greeley): 357
• Outback (Briggsdale, Grover, New Raymer): 0
• Poudre River Corridor (Severance, Windsor): 0
• South County (Brighton, Fort Lupton, Hudson, Keenesburg, Lochbuie): 0
• Thompson River Valley (Johnstown, Milliken): 0
• US-85 Corridor South (Platteville, Gilcrest, LaSalle, Kersey): 0
• US-85 Corridor North (Eaton, Ault, Pierce, Nunn): 0
• Outside Weld County: 0 

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2019-2020
2020-2021

A Student Success Story from one of the Discovery: Peer Leadership Program teachers: This year in one of my classes, I had a young sophomore that didn't feel what I was teaching was necessary. One day during class he decided to share his opinions with myself and his classmates. He started yelling that this is stupid and will never actually work. That what I was teaching in the class was wasting his time and real people don't talk this way or handle problems this way. That you can't talk it out because that isn't what "guys" do.