Education 2nd Annual Agency-Wide Spelling Bee 2015

PHOTO: Staff in the Austin Education Division office served as moderators and judges for youth participating in 2nd Annual Spelling Bee.
Youth from all TJJD facilities participated via video conference.

When we are faced with words like “Obviate,” “Efficacy,” and “Quixotic,” we will often rely on the spell-check option to ensure we don’t make a mistake. But 20 TJJD students didn’t have spell-check to depend on. They were part of the 2nd Annual Agency-Wide Spelling Bee sponsored by the TJJD Education Department.

Each campus, including the Phoenix unit, was given a list of more than 1,200 spelling words from the Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary that were broken down into four tiers to study for their chance at the finals. Each campus was responsible for holding the preliminary rounds of the Spelling Bee to determine their top three spellers that would compete in the finals.

Excitement filled the room as all of the facilities faced off for the finals! Each campus was represented by their best and the college classrooms were filled with support from the adults that cheered on the students as they competed round after round.

Our Top 2 “Spellers,” IC-S (1st place) and JC (2nd Place), are from the Phoenix Unit housed at the McLennan Residential Treatment Center. EC from the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex took 3rd place. Each of the contestants will receive a t-shirt with the runner-up Spelling Bee logo, and our first place winner will receive a t-shirt with the winning Spelling Bee logo.

Congratulations to all of our participants and a tremendous THANK YOU to everyone who helped to make this event such a success.

McFadden Sends Youth Home with Backpack of 'Hope'

By Y. Denise Caldwell Community Resource Coordinator, Northern District Parole Office FLOWER MOUND, Texas - Larry Bossaler, McFadden volunteer McFadden Ranch Volunteer Larry Bossaler enjoys his assignment: Making sure that every youth who leaves the McFadden halfway house knows that people are praying for him and wishing him the best in his future. He is the man who brings them their “Good-Bye” backpack. When he delivers the backpacks, he makes sure to do three things – visit with the youth, show the contents of the backpack (because staff put them in the lockers until the youth leaves), and lastly close the visit with a heartfelt prayer. The youth enjoy and appreciate the backpack, the visit and the prayer. Many are a little anxious and scared to leave but knowing that the McFadden volunteers care enough to send them off in this special way, helps them feel a bit less worried. “I always bring an extra backpack,” Larry said. ...

IN MEMORY AND APPRECIATION: Trayce Haynes Alexander

Trayce Haynes Alexander, of Cat Spring, Texas passed away in April. She was a JCO IV at the Giddings State School and began her employment with the Texas Youth Commission on January 5, 2009, as a JCO III. She was promoted to a JCO IV on April 1, 2010. Trayce was a hardworking, loyal and dedicated staff member and friend. Her number one priority was the youth in her dorm and she would drive one hour and forty minutes everyday (even in ill health) to try to make a difference in the lives of the youth she worked with. She was well respected by both staff and youth due to her extraordinary work ethic. The boys could always depend on her to hold them accountable. She is survived by her husband Geoff Alexander and two daughters, Kristyn and Robyn Alexander. Trayce was born on September 3, 1952. She earned a BS from Southwest Texas State University in Law Enforcement.

Canyon Lake Evening Reporting Center

When Comal County Juvenile Probation Chief Kris Johnson joined the department in March 2011, he brought with him a long-term vision to open an Evening Reporting Center (ERC) in the county. ERCs, which require youth offenders to report to specified locations during evening hours for programming, skills building and community service, were first used in Chicago, where juvenile justice advocates needed after school programs to keep their higher risk kids from getting involved in the gang scene. They also serve as an alternative to detention pending a youth’s hearings. ERCs have become common detention alternatives in many communities throughout the United States and are based on research and best practices recognized by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Johnson believed implementing an ERC in Comal County would reduce juvenile crime by providing supervision during the hours crime is most likely to occur. Additionally, it could significantly reduce the cost of deten...

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