Juvenile probation officer Madysen Russ works with youth in the kitchen as part of the Life Skills Program.
Courtesy | Morrow County Court of Common Pleas
The Morrow County Court of Common Pleas’ Juvenile Probation Office is spending the summer teaching life skills to youth. The Life Skills Program started on Tuesday, June 20, and will take place twice per week every Tuesday and Thursday for eight weeks. The 10 youths attending the program are being supervised on probation or diversion with the Morrow County Juvenile Probation Office. All 16 sessions will be held at the Edison Enterprise Baptist Church.
Morrow County Court of Common Pleas Court Administrator and Chief Probation Officer Greg Thomas said the idea of creating such a program came from the court’s desire to make sure the youth involved with the Juvenile Probation Office are being equipped with skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Having youth being taught useful and practical life skills is extremely important to Judge Robert Hickson, Jr. and Judge Tom Elkin.
Thomas explained, “Judge Hickson and Judge Elkin always tell those under probation supervision to make strides and improvements in their life. The judges preach pro-social and positive behavior. What can we do with those on probation or supervision, especially the youth, that will truly help and impact them? What can we do to help them with their growth as individuals entering adulthood?”
For the Juvenile Probation Office, the answer was simple. Succeeding on probation should not be limited to just meeting with a probation officer, behaving well, and paying off financial obligations. Rather, success on probation should be measured by leaving court-involved supervision a more knowledgeable, well-rounded, and prepared individual than when one entered the system. With that thought, members of juvenile probation set out to teach the youth skills they will need.
“If we can get to the point where our juveniles are completing probation and they know how to budget their money or cook or do laundry, that’s true success,” Thomas said. “We want to think outside the box with how we are supervising our youth, and this is a good start. While under court supervision, our goal is to teach youth vitally important things that may be as simple as how to properly wash their clothes to more difficult tasks such as how to perform basic vehicle maintenance like changing a flat tire or how to change engine oil.”
When planning this program, the court quickly realized that teaching such skills would require the proper facilities. To start, a quiet area to build resumes and conduct mock interviews was needed. Also required was a kitchen for the youth to learn food preparation, cooking, and cleaning. Lastly, a vehicle maintenance garage would be ideal in order to properly instruct how to change engine oil, change tires, etc. These needs, and more, were met by the generosity of Pastor Ed and Suzie Colegrove of the Edison Enterprise Baptist Church.
Thomas said of their efforts, “When hearing about the program we were implementing, Pastor Ed and Suzie kindly opened their church’s doors. They not only have allowed us to use their meeting hall, but they are also offering the use of the church’s fully equipped kitchen as well as the church’s garage. These accommodations will allow the youth to learn in appropriate environments.”
Weeks one and five of the program will consist of building a resume and mock job interviewing. The youth will create individual and professional email accounts, build employment resumes, and participate in mock interviewing. The interviewers will be business owners and managers in the community. The completed resumes will be saved on a thumb drive and given to each juvenile while also being saved by the Juvenile Probation Office should the resumes need to be accessed in the future by the youth.
Weeks two and six will consist of budgeting, grocery shopping, and cooking. Proper budgeting will be taught and discussed, along with going grocery shopping at Kroger in Mount Gilead. The groceries purchased will be used in making meals which the youth will cook themselves. Appropriate food handling and storage will be taught. Kitchen preparation will be instructed, as will kitchen clean up including how to wash and dry dishes, pots and pans, and utensils.
Weeks three and seven include vehicle maintenance, which will take place at the Edison Enterprise Baptist Church’s garage. The youth will be taken to local automotive parts stores in which parts and supplies including engine oil, filters, windshield wipers, and vehicle fluids will be purchased. The youth will then be instructed on how to perform such vehicle maintenance.
Weeks four and eight of the program will include laundry, hygiene, and proper dress attire. At a local laundromat, the youth will be taught how to wash and dry laundry as well as how to fold clothes. Additionally, the youth will learn about hygiene and self-care. Lastly, skills such as tying a tie and polishing shoes will be taught.
Thomas said operating this program would not be possible without the support of Judge Hickson and Judge Elkin, as well as the care, patience, and hard work of the Juvenile Probation Office staff.
“Juvenile probation officers Renee Watts, Madysen Russ, and Dustin Stark, along with probation services supervisors Kaylynn Cockrell and Kyle Hobbs put a lot of time and energy into this program,” he said. “Taking the lead from Judge Hickson and Judge Elkin, our probation officers truly care about those they supervise, and they have a love for this community. While being a probation officer is oftentimes a thankless job, programs like this in which success is measured in youth learning and acquiring skills provide the officers an opportunity to realize their amazing work does make a difference.”
For additional information pertaining to the Morrow County Court of Common Pleas, contact Thomas at 419-947-4515 ext. 2295.
Submitted by the Morrow County Court of Common Pleas.
