12/15/2023
Translated from Native American, Uta Halee means "On the Sunny Side."
Uta Halee Academy joyously marked its 10 Year Anniversary milestone with a grand celebration! The event brought together staff members, students, families, and various stakeholders who participated in various activities. Highlights included the unveiling of a Time Capsule assembled by Uta Halee Girls Village, acknowledging the significant milestones achieved by UHA over the past decade, and honoring the three staff members who have been with the institution since its inception. The ceremony concluded with all participants enjoying refreshments and desserts while reflecting on the accomplishments of the past several years.
Established and operated by the Uta Halee Girls Village in the 1950s, Uta Halee delved into its history within the Time Capsule, providing insights into its origins. A newsletter from the Spring of 2000 described the facility as "A local, non-profit psychiatric treatment center for emotionally disturbed girls." The Time Capsule also contained various items, including a Backstreet Boys "Millennium" CD, a floppy disk, articles on current events at Uta Halee, maps of Omaha and Uta Halee, as well as handmade items and pictures relevant to the decade and the original influencers of the program. While Uta Halee Girls Village closed its doors in 2010, Rite of Passage acquired and reopened the facility on December 2, 2013.
Uta Halee stands as the sole Rite of Passage site in Nebraska catering to at-risk girls within an open campus. Since its inception, UHA has served a substantial number of at-risk females, providing a diverse array of services over the past decade, including day school, crisis stabilization and emergency shelter services, group home, and transitional living. We look forward to serving youth for the next 10 years!