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Rotarians reach out to troubled local teenagers |
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Monday, 17 March 2008 |
 Speaking about his life experiences, Noon Rotary Club member Terry O’Brien addresses students at the Inyo County Juvenile Center’s Keith Bright School. O’Brien and wife Kay are volunteer participants in the Rotary’s Reaching Out Program. Photo by Ken Koerner By Ken Koerner
Register Staff 3-15-208
Making mistakes has always been part of growing up, something the teenagers being held in Inyo County’s juvenile detention center already know a lot about. With the help of a new program, they’re now learning more about leaving mistakes behind.
During recent weeks, members of the Noon Rotary Club of Bishop have been traveling to the Inyo County Juvenile Center in Independence to make a direct connection with these teens. By sharing details about their lives, these successful adults hope to assist the kids in finding their own successful paths.
The concept seems to be working.
“Hearing from these people brings me more faith in myself,” a male-teen said after a recent session, “like hearing that they made mistakes and all but they got past that and made something good happen makes me feel like I could do that, too.”
The Reaching Out Program was spearheaded by Noon Rotary President-Elect Dana Crom. “As a juvenile public defender, I work with these kids all the time – and so many of them already seem to feel in their own mind that they’ve been thrown away,” Crom said. “Just by virtue of these professional people taking t he time to meet with them and share stories about their lives, the message is clear to even the most troubled of kids: We are here because we genuinely care about you.”
That concept also seems to be working. “I really like that people will take time out of their life to come speak with us,” said another detained teen, “and they don’t treat us like criminals.” “And they even brought us cookies,” said another young man.
Crom explained that a primary focus of Rotary organizations internationally, “this year and next, is to work with the kids of this world.” Recognizing that within the Noon Rotary’s membership was “an untapped reserve of career paths and life experiences that could be shared with these kids” all the impetus Crom needed to begin designing the program.
Crom’s years of work representing local juvenile offenders ensured an attentive reception from the various officials involved with Inyo County’s juvenile justice system. Crom explained that once she began initial conversations with these colleagues about her idea to have Rotary members make personal presentations to those teens held in Independence, the concept was readily accepted.
All of Inyo’s young offenders under the age of 18 who haven’t graduated from high school are required to attend school while housed in the juvenile facility. These classes are conducted on-site at the Keith Bright School, operated by the Inyo County Office of Education. Crom reviewed the program’s goals and structure with Inyo County Probation Department Assistant Chief Jeff Thomson, who then consulted with Keith Bright’s lead teacher, Lynelle Romero. They determined that the program could be offered using school time and facilities.
“Once we got the program cleared, Inyo County Juvenile Probation Officer Samantha Rottner-Bell came to a Noon Rotary meeting to familiarize our members with the nature of this student population,” Crom said. “Then after Samantha’s appearance I asked for volunteers and and more than 40 members signed up right away.”
Inyo County’s juvenile facility houses up to 14 teens at a time. “There are three primary ways for someone to end up in Juvie Hall,” Crom said, “there are juveniles being held in custody pending their case coming to trial; there are juveniles that will be kept there to serve out a sentence they’ve been given – that could be as brief as a weekend or as long as a year in some cases; and there are minors being held there pending a placement out of the area, meaning that teen is slated to enter a residential program outside the county or even the state – but they must remain in confinement with Inyo until a bed becomes available in an appropriate site.”
Inmates do receive year-round education, Crom explained, so that’s why she’ll be looking to sign up volunteers for the bi-weekly program during all 12 months of the year.
The first Rotarian to appear at Keith Bright School was Mike Gable. Speaking about his career as a physical therapist, Gable spoke not only about the work itself, but also about “the bumpy road he took to get there,” said Crom. “I think it really resonated with the kids and had them connecting with the reality that just because everything hasn’t gone just right, that doesn’t mean you can’t carve out a good life and a career for yourself.”
“I think having these people come in to speak with us is interesting,” said a female teen after a presentation. “It gives another way to look at things … it gives a little hope.”
Crom explained the experience of working with youthful offenders has taught her that “many of these kids have little-to-no exposure to career people in their world …often there hasn’t been someone there for them that can tell them how they went from Point A to Point B, building upon one small step to get to the next successful step. Just that simple aspect of our volunteers presenting something about their lives, their passions – even their hobbies – can make a substantial difference in how these young people learn to imagine something worthwhile for themselves, too.”
The next Rotarians to appear at the juvenile facility were Edward and Patricia Nahin. The Nahin’s spoke about their experience of traveling to Africa, and brought along a digital-photo presentation on wildlife in Kenya to share with the students. Edward Nahin also spoke about his early days working at an entry-level job in a drug store” and then deciding he wanted to become a pharmacist.
“One of my juvenile clients was among that group of students when the Nahins did their presentation,” said Crom, “and this young man is very shy. As I observed him I could see that he was mesmerized by that African photo lecture – and I realized in that moment that this was something ‘new’ I was witnessing in him … his level of interest was prompting him to make a connection and to ask questions about the wildlife and about photography. Afterwards I spoke with his probation officer and identified this area of interest and response in the hope that it could provide an avenue toward more effectively reaching out to this young man and drawing him into a world of acceptance and caring that could prove helpful in really making him see that he, too, can be capable of fashioning a productive and rewarding life.”
Most recently, Terry and Kay O’Brien visited Keith Bright School to speak to the students. Terry, now retired from a successful career, shared mistakes made and costs paid along his path in life. He also offered an instructive tale about a family member’s experience while incarcerated with “some very hard-core criminals,” explaining, “he saw two people killed his first day locked up – you don’t ever want to end up in a place like that … and you don’t have to.”
Kay clearly touched a nerve with her words about a difficult childhood and finding a way to persevere and prosper through initiative and hard work. As when her husband was speaking, no one interrupted or even stirred in their seats.
Following each of these Rotary appearances, questions are fielded from the teens in attendance. “I remember when I was a freshman we had a career day at school and I thought I might want to work in the health field,” one young man began his question, “but I don’t have a clue on doing something like that – so, what do you do?”
Kay, having just spoken of her career working in hospitals, explained some school options and even a bit about available scholarships to the teen.
Crom explained that this potential for broadening the horizons for these troubled kids, “giving them a view of how a life can be built – and that past trouble doesn’t mean there can’t be a better tomorrow – has everything to do with why I feel this is such a worthwhile effort for our Rotary members to undertake. It’s so important for these kids to believe that they matter and that efforts will be made to help them.”
Borrowing a reference from a popular film, one male in the classroom summarized why he thought these adults were showing up. “It’s like they’re still ‘paying it forward;’ somebody helped them out and they’re trying to help somebody else out.” “Yeah,” said another, “like on this card they left (pointing to the Rotary’s logo of a gear), that gear can be driving one more and that gear driving another … “
“Little things can make a difference,” added another teen.
“I know that not every student at Keith Bright School that hears one of our members speak is suddenly going to break free from the influences and the personal choices that got them there to begin with,” Crom said, “but I also know that some of those kids are going to be touched and possibly even inspired by the mere fact someone they don’t even know made the time to show up and share a part of their life experiences with them … that somehow with motivation and focus good things can happen for anyone, even for them.”
Anyone wishing to learn more about involvement with the Noon Rotary Club and this program can call Dana Crom at (760) 873-4700; or visit the Noon Rotary’s online site at: www.bishoprotary.org.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 21 April 2008 )
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