SMITH COUNTY (KYTX)- The mother of a 17-year-old Tyler boy believes her son was on his way to jail and would have ended up lost in the system if it weren’t for Smith County Juvenile Services HOPE Academy.
Her son was one of two boys who were the first to graduate Friday from the HOPE (Helping Others Pursue Excellence) Academy, a six-to-nine-month residential program for male juvenile offenders, focusing on behavior modification and family/parent relationships. The children work with probation officers, counselors and volunteers, including a chaplain.
“I want to thank everyone for helping me,” the 17-year-old boy told a group of about 40 people gathered Sept. 4 for the graduation ceremony. He said he had anger problems and because of the program, was able to get off medicine he had been taking his entire life.
His mother said her son was on probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and repeatedly had his probation revoked for skipping school, running away and cutting off his leg monitor. She said her son turned 17 while in the HOPE Academy and if they didn’t “get to him now,” he would have gone to adult jail.
“This program helped us and helped him,” she said. Her son is now able to express his feelings instead of showing anger.
Juvenile Services Director Ross Worley called the 17-year-old graduate a “miracle kid.”
He said the HOPE Academy was formed out of desire and necessity.
Juvenile Services had been sending children to similar programs in other counties across the state, costing them $140 per day per person. About six years ago, they had $600,000 per year in funding, which has since been reduced by the state to $200,000. They could no longer afford to send as many kids out, Worley said.
Juvenile Services places about 40 kids a year, sending them to San Marcos or Dallas, away from their family, schools and support systems, for drug or sex offender treatment or behavioral modifications, such as boot camps. Because they had the facility and staff resources, Worley implemented a plan to start a program in Smith County.
Keeping the six children who will graduate from the program this month in Smith County for the nearly nine-month program, instead of sending them out of the county, has saved the department about $230,000, Worley said.
“This ceremony today marks a step forward toward your future achievements once you leave the facility,” Residential Supervisor Oscar Perdomo told the boys during the ceremony. “You must now take everything you learned and put it to use in your home, school and community. That will determine your success … Your past does not determine your future.”
Perdomo urged them to take away four things – “Don’t focus on your past, learn from it. You must look forward, the future is now. Aspire to do great things, set goals and work hard to achieve them. And you must believe in yourself.”
A 15-year-old boy who also graduated thanked the crowd for “trying to help us get on the right track.”
His grandmother said she feels like she has been going through the HOPE Academy, too. “It gave me hope toward my grandson,” she said. “The people here were great and very supportive.”
She said she has seen a “95 percent change” in her grandson, who was on probation for theft. He is now more positive, respectful and thankful, she said, adding that he has a changed attitude. “He grew up,” she said. “He would have been lost in the system” without the program, she added.
The 15-year-old’s mother said her son “talks a whole lot different” and has a better attitude.
Probation Officer Toscha Sneed said she saw a lot of good in the 15-year-old boy while she was supervising him before he entered the HOPE Academy, and she was glad the opportunity came along for him to get into the program. “Use what you have here,” she said. “Use us, we are all here for you.”
Probation Officer Tim Fauss was the supervising probation officer for both boys and told them he was proud that they were the first graduates of HOPE Academy. “It’s not the end. It’s just the beginning,” he said.
Fauss said everyone at Juvenile Services would continue to be with them along the way to mentor them, push them in the right direction and help them to achieve their goals. He said through the program, they have built a support team for the boys to take home with them.
“You’ve done an excellent job while you were in here,” he said. “I want to encourage you guys to keep up the good work.”
Mental Health Counselor Dawn Mantooth said she has known both boys for many years and has watched them grow up. “I couldn’t be more proud of you. Thank you for letting us help you,” she said. “I look forward to your future.”
Dr. Jack Jordan and his wife Sarah have seven children of their own and have been volunteering for Juvenile Services for four years. Jordan said he worked with the boys in the HOPE Academy, building relationships through food, fun and devotions. “We are planting seeds in young lives,” Jordan said. “We’re trying to give them hope and direction.”
Mrs. Jordan said through the program, they become family, supporting, encouraging and teaching each other.
“I’ve seen such a difference in you guys over the last six months,” Jordan told the boys.
Jerry Bach has been volunteering as a chaplain for Juvenile Services for more than 10 years and has been working with the HOPE Academy since it started. “Years ago, HOPE was just a dream. It took a lot of prayer, discipline and hard work to make it a reality for you guys,” he said. “All things are possible when you have hope.”
Bach said they were celebrating the boys’ accomplishments and how much they have changed. “This place, at this time, has set a new benchmark on how we take care of our kids … You are the beginning,” he said.
Perdomo presented the boys, as well as their family members, with a certificate for completing the program. He said they also made sacrifices to help their sons and grandsons succeed.
Worley said there are two critical components the children must have to be accepted into the HOPE Academy: having the want or desire to turn their lives around, and their families have to commit to as much involvement as the child. He said they interviewed quite a few children and ended up accepting eight in the first program, which started in January. Six boys will successfully compete the program this month.
Those going through the HOPE Academy live and learn in an area separated from the rest of the juveniles being housed at the Juvenile Attention Facility. The residential quarters houses 16 beds and they have been approved for having up to 12 kids in the program at a time. He said taking in eight children and having six complete it for the first run was a huge success.
Worley said there were 10-15 volunteers, three residential probation officers, including one supervisor, and counselors who work directly with the children, but he credits his entire staff of more than 80 people for pulling it off. Since they restructured their staff and facility to run the program, it “didn’t cost the taxpayers a dime,” Worley said.
To graduate, the boys have to reach a certain point level; building points through counseling, school, participation and behavior.
Worley said the boys who graduated will continue to be on probation but will be supervised by visits from counselors and probation officers to their home and school. Since Juvenile Services works with the Tyler Independent School District with their educational program, the boys will be able to return to their schools through a “seamless transition,” Worley said.
After all six students graduate this month, Worley said they will spend 90 days to evaluate every detail of the program to find out what worked and adjust things that didn’t. He is planning for the next group to start in January. Juvenile Services is also planning to construct a vocational building so the boys can learn a trade while going through the program.
The name of the boys who graduated from the HOPE Academy and their parents were not named because they are juveniles.
