TJJD News & Announcements

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Ayres House and Volunteer Council for TX Youth in San Antonio received a special gift on the eve of its annual Christmas dinner for the youth and staff. New volunteer Karen Grady, inspired from her past six months of volunteering at the halfway house, shared her experience with her friends. These goodhearted friends in turn provided two donations from Stone Oak Rotary and Cheryl Armstrong. The donations, valued at $1,000, helped provide Christmas gifts for youth at Ayres house. Photo: Volunteer Johnny Cuellar helps serve Ayres House youth and staff at the Christmas dinner.

DALLAS, Texas – Family members and youths come into the parole office every day. They all have expectations to meet to help them become successful. Every family is different and they all have different personal needs. There are some families and youths that struggle from day to day to have basic personal needs such as food and clothing. The parole officers are charged with monitoring youths and providing guidance so that youths are successful. Sometimes this is a difficult task for youth because they are struggling with basic needs. Because of this struggle, volunteers have created a food and clothing pantry at the Dallas District Office that provides help for these youths and families. During the holidays 12 families needed assistance with food during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Volunteers from Transforming Lives Ministry, Abundance Spiritual Life Ministry, and Free On the Inside Ministries provided 17 turkeys and a large amount of food including eggs, fresh potatoes, a

HARLINGEN, Texas – Tamayo House celebrated Red Ribbon week in November by celebrating the hashtag #YOLO! “You only live once, live it drug free.” Each day, the youth where reminded about being drug free with ribbons, bookmarks and a #YOLO party at the end of the week. During the week, four boys from Tamayo House volunteered to share their personal stories at two middle schools in the community. They reached over 300 students with their message of choosing a drug-free life. Several of boys commented they were nervous speaking to so many people but in the end hoped they made a difference in someone’s life. Photo: Four Tamayo House youth share their personal stories at a local middle school.

FORT WORTH, Texas – On Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016 Willoughby House youth attended a Breakfast with the Brother’s from the Potter’s House, Fort Worth. TX. The Deacons and youth shared a breakfast but the men shared wisdom as well. They encouraged the youth to consider entrepreneurship when they think about their future. Several Deacons spoke from personal experience, about how they started and continue to maintain specific businesses – ranging from construction and water removal/janitorial services to BBQ restaurants and barbershops. One Deacon discussed being a published author and encouraged the youth to write their own story. In addition, several discussed how they dealt with peer pressure and learned to NOT follow the crowd but think for themselves. But this wasn’t their first meeting. These men also provided Thanksgiving dinner for the youth as well. The Potter’s House Fort Worth, under the leadership of Pastor Patrick Winfield has become instrumental in helping the youth

Every six weeks, all TJJD education departments participate in a Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) incentive program, which addresses the youth’s individual ability to reach a set of identified expectations and behavior goals. This helps facilitate and shape behavior while building and reinforcing coping skills through targeted skill development. Overall, this offers the students directed practice, staff opportunity for modeling of pro-social skills, and positive reinforcement of targeted progress. The goal is to help youth reduce negative behavior while developing corresponding positive behaviors to build longterm, internalized changes in behavior. Below is a description of the PBIS Incentive Day held agency-wide on September 16, 2016. Gainesville: PBIS is going strong at the Gainesville State School. The last incentive was the largest yet with 68 students participating. The teachers came in early and prepared a home cooked breakfast for the students that included scra

DALLAS, Texas – Giving to others to create smiles was the purpose of youth at Cottrell House making Christmas ornaments to donate to the children at Scottish Rite Hospital. The youth at Cottrell House wanted to make Christmas special for young children that were unable to spend Christmas at home. Volunteer Shellita Garrett was excited to work with youth to help them design special Christmas ornaments to put smiles on the faces of children. When other volunteers heard about the youth plans of donating ornaments, they were excited to assist. Shellita supplied paints, glitter, and clear Christmas ornaments. The youth supplied the creativity and designs for each ornament. Once all the ornaments were completed, the Iron Guardians took the ornaments to the Scottish Rite Hospital so that the children could smile. Cottrell House youth did more than just create ornaments for children; they learned that working together for a greater good is powerful. They had so much fun that they wanted to c

A total of 245 TJJD employees from across the agency donated $49,409.44 during the 2016 State Employee Charitable Campaign. There are many organizations that are so appreciative of the help that these contributions provide. Thanks to each person who contributed in any form or fashion. Every dollar and hour that is donated is a gift that is priceless!!

TJJD volunteers are mentoring six K-5 elementary students at McBee Elementary, located about one mile east of Central Office on Braker Lane in Austin. Two more TJJD mentors will be connected once parent permission slips have been returned. Two additional TJJD employees are signed up for mentor training. The response has been highly gratifying to McBee leadership, especially since the school had no active mentors to work with students previously. The elementary school has achieved distinction designations from the Texas Education Agency, and works with youth facing significant challenges. More than 95 percent of the student body is economically disadvantaged and nearly 75 percent are English language learners. Mentors commit to work with a youth for an academic year, but have the option of continuing in a mentorship role with a youth for future years.

Bikers For Christ volunteers work closely with youth at Evins Regional Juvenile Center during a Christian Concert in October 2016. More than 50 youth were able to attend and enjoy great Christian music, guest speakers and a Chick Fil A meal. The concert is sponsored twice a year by “We Are One in Spirit” Ministries out of Edinburg, Texas.

 On December 10, 2016, Schaeffer House held its annual Christmas event. The event was sponsored by the Community Resource Council (CRC). Several special guests attended and spoke to the youth and families. The CRC provided a Christmas meal for all that were in attendance. The youth received gifts and sang Christmas carols. Overall it was a good day for the youth, families, volunteers and staff. Photo: Staff and volunteers stand ready to serve dinner to Schaeffer House youth and their families on Family Day. 

The Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center has partnered with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra to present “CHAMBER FOR THE CHALLENGED.” The program is made possible by a 2016-2017 grant funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, executed by the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra (LSO) Education Program and implemented at the Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center (LCJJC). The partnership enables the LSO to reach out to incarcerated and marginalized youth in the Lubbock community through a program of chamber ensemble performances developed especially for them. “Music can transform and inspire the lives of those it touches in an intimate concert setting” said William Carter, Director of the LCJJC, “but challenged South Plains youths in these types of environments can only experience this power if the LSO can bring the music to them.” Utilizing multiple chamber ensembles that vary in size and instrumentation, the LSO chamber ensembles offer one presentation per month from September, 2016