Our Teens - Spring 2009

our Teens SPRING 2009

YOU CAN HELP YOUR TEEN: FIND A JOB PREPARE FOR

COLLEGE HANDLE

HEARTACHE CONNECT TO SUPPORT

PROGRAMS & MORE v il

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Where Every Family Matters.

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Your Award-Winning Parenting Resource.

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preparing parents for the teen years

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our Teens SPRING 2009

5 hot topics • books for parents and teens, sneaky teens tips, internships, teen service • cool excursions • spotlight on centerstone

go away ... no, stay

O

ne morning you check in on your son and he’s just a little bump asleep in the bed.

The next thing you know, his feet are stretching all the way down to the foot of the bed board. It happens that fast.

Suddenly his hands are taking on the appearance of a man’s, and he’s pulling away. He wants to be smooth, and he wants nothing to do with you anymore.

Only he really does. That’s it. He wants you to back off, but he wants you to be there. Parents make the mistake of thinking that when their teen pulls away he’s ready to be on his own. But he is not. Good parents hang in there. They become invisible support networks for the tumultuous teen years where so much is happening so fast it threatens to separate you from your teen. The best thing you can do is try to understand what he’s going through. Be there — behind the scenes — but available. He needs you. He really does.

— susan day

2 our Teens

14 get a job A how-to for helping your

teen start his own business

or land a job.

16 handling heartache

When teens fall in love, Mr. Heartache finds his way to their doors. What you should know.

19 road to college

Local experts talk about what colleges look for and how to prep your teen.

22 reach out Support and resources for teens and parents.

PUBLISHER Stewart Day EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Susan Day MANAGING EDITOR Chad Young ASSOCIATE EDITORS Kiera Ashford, Meg Porch

a

ART DIRECTION Ashford, Day and Young PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Tim Henard AD DESIGN Sheila James, Christopher Teague ACCOUNT MANAGERS Teresa Birdsong, Amy Carter, Paige O’Kelley, Larry Prescott, Dallas Smith, Loni Wilhelms WEB MASTER Christopher Teague DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Tom Guardino OUR TEENS is published annually by Day Communications, Inc. Editorial and business offices are located at 2270 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, TN 37228. The phone number is 615-256-2158; fax number is 615-2562114. Email to: npinfo@nashvilleparent.com.

Although every precaution has been taken to ensure accuracy of published material, OUR TEENS cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. OUR TEENS is copyright ©2009

by Day Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

“

No matter how independent people think they are, other people still influence their thoughts and their decisions. I always said that I would never give in to peer pressure, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought.”

— Tyler T., age 16

our Teens 3

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It’s time for teens to GET REAL about Substance Abuse Prevention • HIV/AIDS Education

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hot topics

t stu ligh

ff, tough stuff and k eepin u go g-an-eyeo y s a f f u on-it st when you don’t know what to do: READ!

G

ood books are helpful when the going gets tough with your teenager. “Like, Whatever” The Insider’s Guide to Raising Teens (Capital Books: $16.95), edited by Rebecca Kahlenberg, is an excellent collection of expertly written essays on subject matters from money to driving to risk-taking and more ...

The Triple Bind by Stephen Hinshaw, Ph.D., (Ballantine; $25) focuses on the pressures teenage girls face to be impossibly perfect in every way ... and Dr. Ruth’s Guide to Teens & Sex Today from Social Networking to Friends with Benefits (Teachers College Press; $13.95) is voiced in Dr. Ruth’s openlyfrank style.

go global with teen service

G

lobal Leadership Adventures (GLA), one of the leading teen service groups in the nation, offers life-changing experiences for high school students. Meaningful and exciting adventures through GLA provide a way for teens to serve, learn and explore. Learn more about this major outreach group by visiting globalleadershipadventures.com.

For more service projects for teens, visit parentworld.com and click on Our Teens/service in the magazine rollover.

TOP SELLERS YOUR TEEN’S SUMMER READING

B

uy him a book ... he’ll be glad you did!

The Twilight Saga (Little, Brown Young Readers)

by Stephanie Meyer The Alchemyst (Delacorte)

by Michael Scott The Help (Putnam)

by Kathryn Stockett The Book Thief (Knopf)

by Markus Zusak The Graveyard Book (HarperCollins)

by Neil Gaiman Hunted: A House of Night (St. Martin’s Pres)

by PC Casat, Kristin Cast The Last Thing I Remember (Thomas Nelson)

by Andrew Klavan The Sorceress (Delacorte)

by Michael Scott

our Teens 5

hot topics light stuff, tough stuff a

nd ke eping -an-eye -on-it stuff as you go

finding an internship

A

summer internship is a great way for your teen to gain skills that will help him develop the professional talents he’ll need in a future career.

Most internships don’t pay exceptionally well or don’t pay at all, so don’t count on money. Be realistic, and understand that there are many other benefits to finding an internship other than cold hard cash.

To get started: Make three lists: One with your teen’s strengths and interests, one with his weaknesses and one with his long-term goals.

Once you’ve done this with your teen, look at the lists. Then, together, think of the types of jobs he could possibly explore for an internship. Make a list of those jobs, keeping them realistic.

Next, help him create a resumé outlining his skills.

The final step is to look in newspapers and local company Web sites to keep your eyes open for the type of internship that he wants. When you locate possibilities, have him send his resumé in with a cover letter. About one week later, he should follow-up

with a phone call.

6 our Teens

10 T

TOP

TEEN TRICKS

he Partnership for a Drug-Free America has an exclusive list of “Top Ten Ways Teens Trick Their Parents” at timetotalk.org. Some teens employ tricky ways to keep their social lives the way they want them, i.e. parent-free. Behaviors parents should look out for include:

Sleep-Over Sneak Outs: Although you may be home when your teen has friends sleep over, it’s possible that while you’re sound asleep your “guests” are sneaking out of your house to either walk somewhere else or be picked up in a car down the street to go to a party.

Turning Water into Wine: An old trick — your teen steals alcohol from your liquor cabinet and then, if necessary, makes up the difference in the bottle’s volume by adding water.

Home Freedom: After school when you are still at work, your child and his friend might congregate at your empty house and do as they please until you arrive. A few hours is plenty of time to experiment.

When the Cat is Away: Your teen insists on going to a friend’s house for the night when you’re going out for the evening. Once you’ve left, your teen returns home to your unsupervised house with a group of friends.

The Cameo Appearance: When attending a school dance, your teen is allowed to leave the dance at any point in the evening. Why is this a problem? Many couples will take their picture at the dance to prove that they attended and then go to an empty house to party.

For a complete list of helpful signs for understanding teen behavior, visit TimeToTalk.org.

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hot topics: fun stuff

The Music City Racer at Nashville Shores.

A round-up of local places for teens who want to have fun!

cheatham

AdventureWorks 1300 Narrows Road Kingston Springs 297-2250 • adventureworks.com Zip-line excursions.

davidson

Europa Go-Karts & Golf 621 Old Hickory Blvd.

Nashville • 356-0301 europagokartsandgolf.com Go-kart track, mini golf, batting cages, game room.

Family Golf Center 5204 Blue Hole Road Antioch • 781-0050 thefamilygolfcenter.com Mini golf, go-karts, batting cages and a driving range.

Grand Old Golf & Go-Karts 2444 Music Valley Drive Nashville • 871-4701 grandoldgolf.net Mini golf, go-karts and a gameroom.

Laser Quest 166 Second Ave. N., Nashville 256-2560 • laserquest.com Live action laser tag.

Nashville Paintball 3020 Brandau Road Hermitage • 885-3988 nashvillepaintball.com Paintball park with rental equipment.

8 our Teens

Nashville Shores 4001 Bell Road, Hermitage 889-7050 • nashvilleshores.com Seven water slides, pools, beaches, lake activities and more.

Rocketown 401 Sixth Ave. S., Nashville 843-4001 • rocketown.com Indoor skate park, coffee bar, live music.

Wave Country 2320 Two Rivers Pkwy.

Nashville • 885-1052 nashville.gov/parks Speed slides, a wave pool and more.

rutherford

Barfield Crescent Park 697 Barfield Crescent Road Murfreesboro • 849-8538 murfreesborotn.gov/parks Frisbee golf course available.

GO USA Fun Park 2270 Armory Drive Murfreesboro 895-7888 • gousafunpark.com Mini golf, go-karts and a gameroom.

Phazer Kraze 252 River Rock Blvd.

Murfreesboro • 895-6950 Live action laser tag.

sumner

Drakes Creek Activity Center 130 Cherokee Road N. Hendersonville 822-0232 • funandenergy.com Mini golf, laser tag, aeroball, hot air balloon rides, a game room and more.

williamson

Laser Chase 215 Gothic Court, Franklin 764-0800 • laserchase.net Live action laser tag.

Middle Tennessee Paintball 4215 Kedron Road, Spring Hill 931-334-9673 • themiddletennesseepaintball.com Playing field and rental equipment.

wilson

Cedar Creek Sports Center 10770 Lebanon Road, Mt. Juliet 754-2744 • cedarcreeksportscenter.com Enjoy mini golf, go-karts, batting cages, bumper boats and more.

Maple Hill Sports Center 105 Carver Lane, Lebanon 444-3474 • mhsportscenter.com Mini golf, batting cages, aeroball, an arcade and more.

Find more fun teen destinations by clicking on “Our Teens” at parentworld.com.

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, LIFE AND ETERNITY

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hot topics

centerstone helps teens tackle addiction

“

On the road of life, I have no idea where I’m going until I look up and straight ahead.”

— Stephanie S., age 18

t

eens may experiment with drugs and alcohol for any number of reasons, but underlying emotional issues are often the root cause.

“We are seeing a lot of depression and anxiety with teens,” says Beth Hall, director of school-based services for Centerstone, a local non-profit organization whose mission is to prevent and cure mental illness and addiction, specializing in services for adolescents. “When we help them stop their substance abuse, we find their underlying depression issues rise to the surface,” she adds.

Hall says the number one drug of choice she sees among teens is marijuana, and there is a real rise in prescription drugs that are often easily obtainable from the family medicine cabinet. Key warning signs that your teen may be dabbling in drugs include changes in appetite, school behavior, friends and sleep patterns. Other signals to look for are sudden, excessive amounts of secrecy, unexplained outbursts and paranoia.

Centerstone provides a range of addiction services for teens in Davidson County Metro high schools and also provides private services in surrounding counties. “The outpatient model we provide in schools includes three months of a treatment protocol followed by three months of maintenance programs,” Hall says. The program includes 12 components to help teens discover and embrace their strengths, find new friends, develop positive communication skills and more. Centerstone also conducts parent sessions. “We meet with the parents and help them understand what their teen is going through and how to communicate,” says Hall.

Centerstone follows students in the program wherever they go, even if they get kicked out of school. The adolescent services in Davidson County are currently free of charge and are also available to teens in private school. To learn more about Centerstone, call 463-6600 or visit centerstone.org.

more help Find more local resources in our “Reach Out” directory on page 29.

10 our Teens

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teens, jobs and elbow grease Every teenager needs to earn and save money.

A little ingenuity can go a long way.

s

o it’s time for your teen to get beyond the lemonade stand and get a real, paying job, right? With unemployment high, some real creativity needs to come into play here. Teens may be able to start their own businesses. All it takes is thinking it through and the initiative to follow through. That’s the only difference between the teen who’s already teaching guitar lessons and the one who’s dreaming about it. Here are a few businesses that teens can start on their own — or with a friend — followed by tips for making it happen: A cleaning service. Maybe your teen hates doing chores at home, but getting paid for doing them is completely different. He could offer complete housecleaning services, or specialize in one or more areas, such as attic/basement/garage clean-ups.

A yard maintenance service.

There is always something that needs to be done in everyone’s neighborhood … mowing lawns and weed control in the spring and summer, raking leaves in the fall and shoveling snow in the winter.

A car-detailing business. Very few people have the time to really take care of their cars — your teen could offer a weekly or monthly service of washing, waxing, vacuuming, etc.

A music teacher. Lots of parents want a teenager to teach guitar or other instruments to their kids. This is easy to get started with fliers in mailboxes and a reference from your teen’s music teacher at school.

A pet sitting service. Typically more of a summer business when people tend to go on vacation, but your teen can offer a year-round business by offering pet walking, bathing, cleaning, etc.

A computer service. Is your teen a whiz with computers and the Web? Many adults are not, and he could make a solid business helping people learn to use PCs and develop Web sites for their families.

A cooking service. Does your teen enjoy cooking or baking? If he can provide a service that offers well-cooked meals or home-baked goods, he could do quite well.

A painting service. With a little experience and a few friends, he could launch a painting business. People are always renovating. He could offer exterior paint jobs in the nicer months and interiors during the colder months.

An errand or delivery service. People need help with all sorts of errands. Your teen could offer grocery shopping services, package mailing, hardware store runs, etc.

A tutoring service. If your teen has talent with foreign language, math, science or other subjects, he could offer tutoring sessions to children, teens and adults in your neighborhood.

A freelancing service. If your teen is gifted in a certain field, such as writing, drawing or photography, consider him starting a freelance business for invitations, family portraits, etc.

Susan Day is the editorial director for this publication.

14 our Teens

BY SUSAN DAY

5 Tips for Landing a Job 1. BE BRAVE

Even in this economy, there are employers looking for the affordable, enthusiastic, and energetic help that teenagers provide, but you have to go out and ask for it. Don’t let yourself be discouraged by news of the economy, and don’t be afraid to apply for jobs.

2. BE PREPARED

Bring a resumé and a cover letter whenever you apply for a job. Teens are competing with adults for jobs now, and having a well-written resumé is essential. It shows that you are serious about the position and that you are mature and responsible. Look online for samples of resumés to get your teen started.

3. BE POLITE

When applying for a job, dress up, make eye contact, shake hands and avoid using slang.

First impressions matter — they are your chance to prove yourself — so take advantage of the opportunity.

4. BE PERSISTENT

Persistence pays off. Send thank-you notes to interviewers. Follow-up with a phone call if you do not hear about the job after a week, and keep applying.

5. BE CREATIVE

Look for work in places other than the mall. The weak economy means that people are going to be looking to cut costs in areas such as lawn and child care. Get a few friends together and start a landscaping or a baby-sitting business.

— sd

“

Learning how to apply for a job isn’t really taught in school ... why isn’t it?”

— Max W., age 16

our Teens 15

BY KAREN DYER

breaking up

is hard to do Relationships of the heart are all-encompassing.

You need to know how to handle it when your teen is in love.

“Y

ou don’t understand. I love him!” she wailed from behind the locked bedroom door. Helpless, I stood outside. It was so easy when my daughter was young — just kiss the boo-boo, put a Band-Aid on it and the pain would magically go away. Now, at 16, she was suffering from her first heartbreak, and nothing I could say or do would make it better. All the adult wisdom and experience I shared with her wouldn’t stop the tears. Only when she and a friend performed a ceremonial shredding of his picture, did she seem on the road to recovery.

Teenage romance in the 21st century and heartbreaks are about as inevitable as the four seasons. It’s not a question of will it happen, but when, and how your teen will handle it. For some teens, all it takes is a quick cry and they are on to the next relationship. For others, it can lead to prolonged depression, especially in high school when they share groups of friends and their identities are intertwined with one another. Add to that such public forums as MySpace and the repercussions of a nasty break-up can reach much farther than the school hallways. This can leave parents at a loss to understand their teenager’s emotions, as the world of dating and “going steady” is very different now from when parents were teens.

16 our Teens

“Teenage romances have changed due to the way media portrays romance and to the fact that children are reaching puberty faster,” says Allison Edwards, LPC, a local counselor who specializes in treating children and adolescents. “Romantic relationships often become a priority for teens.

They are more likely to choose their significant other over their friends, family or school work, but are often unable to see the consequences of this ahead of time.”

When teens get into an intimate relationship, they can alienate their friends and drop out of favorite activities to spend more time with each other. lf a breakup occurs, the unsuing drama can make going to school and social events emotionally difficult — at least for awhile.

Technology plays a role in teenage relationships now more than ever. Not only can computer social networks make a break-up more public, these forums can be used for revenge as warring parties air their disagreements by posting nasty messages and pictures on Web sites. In addition, the Internet provides teens who might be lonely or on the rebound a chance to get involved with chat room relationships that can prove risky. This is why it is important to discuss with teenagers the dangers of putting information online, Edwards advises.

Taking Sides

“People get kind of upset when a couple breaks up.

They get in little arguments. If it is within a group of friends, people pick sides. Boys side with boys; girls side with girls. It can get kind of rough, but things usually sort themselves out,” says Lindsey Davison, a David Lipscomb eighth grader.

Nashville School of the Arts sophomore Markus McClain says that 50 - 75 percent of students he knows are in relationships, which can lead to some pretty dramatic situations when the couples part ways — especially for girls, he says, because they are “more emotional and more sensitive.”

“At my school,” McClain says, “everyone is in everyone else’s business. You have more of a support group, but people gossip more and it affects more people.”

Hume Fogg High School senior Nick Currier agrees that girls are more emotional, but says break-ups can be just as hard on boys, especially if the former couple attends the same school.

“I was in a relationship last year,” says Currier.

“It took me a long time to get over it because we didn’t talk a lot afterward. We never reconnected.

I had to see her every day. It was hard. I finally got over it during the summer,” he adds.

Break-ups of long-term relationships can last even after high school, according to Lesa Abney, whose daughter went through a rough relationship her senior year in high school. The couple shared classes and a circle of friends, which made moving on after the relationship more difficult.

“It took her a good six to seven months to recover. She finally got over it when she left home and went to college,” Abney says. “People took sides. It affected her school work because they had a lot of classes together. Boys are not nearly as dramatic as girls. Their friends don’t get involved as much,” Abney adds.

Harmful Relationships

So while matters of the heart are what teens will go through, there’s another area that is not as typical and more troublesome: How can you know if your teen’s relationship is potentially harmful?

“When teens start pulling away from friends or family or exhibit signs of great sadness or distress — those are signs that the relationship may be unhealthy,” says Edwards. “The best way that parents can help their teens is by modeling healthy relationships themselves. In the case of single par-

ents, it is helpful to talk about what healthy relationships look like,” Edwards adds.

For those teens who are reluctant to talk to parents, trusted teachers and guidance counselors can be a good place to turn for unbiased advice, although most students agree that teachers don’t often get involved, unless asked.

When break-ups do happen, most teens still want their parents’ reassurance — even if from a distance. They want them to be encouraging, keep the lines of communication open and definitely not dismiss their feelings as a simple case of “puppy love.”

“It is important for parents to remember that their teen’s feelings are real and acknowledge them as such,” says Edwards. First love relationships are often the hardest to recover from, so it is important to be patient with teens and not dismiss the strong reactions to their relationships.

“Parents need to be involved,” Abney agrees.

“They need to know what is going on with the relationship, and they need to be there when it ends.”

Karen Dyer is a local freelance writer and mother.

warning signs of an unhealthy teen relationship • Avoiding family and friends • Sadness and withdrawal • Allowing the significant other to: • Act extremely jealous over time spent with others • Criticize appearance • Make your teen quit an activity that he or she enjoys • Have fits of anger (hitting walls, throwing objects) • Force your teen to go further physically than is wanted

our Teens 17

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BY CHAD YOUNG

the road “ to college

Those who set easy goals are simply scared of failure.

Push yourself better than your best.”

— Matthew C., age 16

Start early and keep on course while navigating the path to higher education.

“C

hoosing a college is like purchasing a car,” says Brentwood High School Guidance Counselor Dan Winfree. “You’ve got to test drive them,” he adds, referring to a high school student’s necessity to start the search early and thoroughly investigate each option before making a final decision about where to spend the next four years in higher education.

The Early High School Years Since the college application process usually starts in the fall of the senior year, a student’s academic achievement in grades 9 - 11 is the first thing a prospective college will look at. However, it’s not just the grades that are important, but also the kind of classes a student has taken.

“The first thing a college or university will look for is the student’s academic preparation and everything that is included in that,” says Kathy Baugher, associate provost and dean of enrollment services at Belmont University. She adds that colleges scrutinize the difficulty of the high school curriculum and how well the student did in it along with his overall ability to succeed.

Baugher says students should take a solid college preparatory curriculum that includes math, English, science, history and languages, emphasizing the importance of taking honors courses in the subjects where their talents and interests lie.

“The first advanced placement (AP) class a student can take is in his sophomore year,” says

Winfree, who suggests taking one or two more during the junior and senior years, reiterating the importance of taking AP classes versus standard options.

Aside from grades, extracurricular activities add a lot of color to the college application.

“Institutions have personalities, too, and look for students who are a good fit considering what activities they were involved with during high school,” says Baugher.

Winfree agrees. “Colleges are looking at the wholeness of the applicant. They seek students involved in clubs, sports, community service, etc.,” Winfree says. “A big factor that serves as a feather in the cap is any kind of leadership position,” he adds.

Starting the Search Baugher and Winfree agree that the earlier the better when it comes to scouting out schools of interest. “The Internet has shortened the process,” says Winfree. Web sites like

(please turn the page)

our Teens 19

Peterson’s (petersons.com) are a more complete feel for the valuable in helping students university as well. find schools that fit their criteria.

“During a more informational more online First and foremost, students interview, schools want to get should decide what that criteria to know the student better, Find the top 10 things is and what’s important in the to match things up, to see if colleges look for along school they want to attend. there’s a fit,” says Baugher. with local ACT and SAT Factors to consider are loca“However, the more competitive test prep businesses tion, size, cost, student body, the school or major, the more academics, special activities, the interview is a big piece of online at parentworld.com housing, campus life, setting, the admission process and under “Guides & religious affiliation and more. decision.”

Directories.”

Students should attend Baugher says students information sessions and camshould be prepared to say, pus visits whenever possible, “This is who I am and why I’m as early as the sophomore a good fit.” If there are any year. Take the opportunity to gaps or holes anywhere in visit schools during family vacations if traveling the academic record, be prepared to answer through a town where there is a college of interthat. “Schools also want to know that the student est. “During the junior year, schedule another is an inquisitive learner,” Baugher adds. “What visit, meet with professors who teach in the area students do outside of the classroom on their own of interest and sit in on classes,” Baugher says is important.” Questions may range from “What about narrowing the search. is the most recent book you’ve read for fun?” to During the student’s junior year, he should take “What is your greatest personal accomplishment both college placement tests: the ACT and SAT. to date?”

Both exams test intellect in different ways. Neither test weighs more heavily than the other, but some Scholarships colleges do have preferences between the two Tuition is a big factor on the college-bound path, and most accept both scores. Both tests are and securing scholarship money often tips the offered for a limited amount of time each year at scales on where a student will attend. select local high schools and universities. To find “Most scholarships are through the individual ACT test dates, visit actstudent.org; to find SAT universities themselves, and students want to be test dates, visit collegeboard.com. sure they’ve done everything to get their names Keep in mind that college admissions counselin the hat,” says Winfree. “When applying to ors initially only see the first three years of high a school, be sure check with the Financial Aid school grades, but that doesn’t mean it’s OK to Office for scholarship opportunities. Schools are slack off during the senior year. Institutions where trying to attract students, and they’ll usually do students apply WILL receive final grades after whatever it takes to get them there.” the senior year, and if grades slip, so might the In addition to school-based scholarships, college’s interest. there are other local and national ones out there.

Fastweb.com is a great place to start. Students The College Interview can enter their information, intended majors and Some schools require an interview while others career objectives, and the site helps them find offer them. Remember, interviews are a two-way scholarship opportunities that can range from street. They provide the school with a much bet$1,000 to more than $40,000. ter view of the applicant, and the student can get Chad Young is managing editor for this publication.

20 our Teens

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special report

BY CHAD YOUNG

behind the scenes at juvenile detention

“

Don’t hang around with the wrong people. It’s not worth it.”

— anonymous teen in rutherford county’s juvenile detention center

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his is not the place to be ... they tell you when to take a shower, tell you when to eat, tell you when to sleep,” says a Rutherford County teen (name omitted for privacy) in juvenile detention who is charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm, evading arrest, violation of curfew, simple possession of marijuana and driving without a license.

Many people have misconceptions about what juvenile detention — or “juvy” as it’s commonly called — is and what takes place behind those tightly locked doors.

The State of Tennessee mandates certain basic requirements in regard to a juvenile detention center’s cleanliness, meals, education and exercise offerings for detainees. However, each county differs in how much it chooses to provide to incarcerated youth in an effort to give them positive reinforcement and, hopefully, encouragement to become better decision makers.

What Juvy Actually Is Even though they are at least temporarily incarcerated, keep in mind that kids in juvy are still “innocent until proven guilty.” They have been arrested and charged with a crime, but are still awaiting their trial in court. The youth who are detained are those charged with felony offenses — crimes that carry a heavier punishment.

“There really isn’t one specific offense that stands out as being number one,” says Lynn Duke, director of Rutherford County Juvenile Detention.

“We see a lot of assaults, thefts and drug charges.”

Parents of status and misdemeanor offenders get the call to pick up their children and take them home to await their court dates.

The ultimate fate of detainees, however, is determined at their court hearing, and depending on the nature of their crime, they’ll land in one of three arenas: 1) Back home and on probation; 2) Turned over to the Department of Children’s Services’ custody for further incarceration; or 3) Transferred to a different facility where they will await another court hearing to be tried as an adult. (please turn the page)

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Davidson County’s Accredited System

is aligned with the Metro Nashville Public School The Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center system, and it has immediate access to Metro’s (DCJDC) is a short-term detention facility that is database. Principal Janette Carter can access each child’s school record and class schedule. Monday run by G4S Youth Services, contracted by Metro.

“We are the first and only juvenile detention through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., each center in the state that is accredited by the detainee is in one of the center’s classroom areas American Correctional Association,” says learning core curriculum in English, math, science, Superintendent Patrick Curren. There are 419 social studies, wellness and career development, standards the center must comply with to maintain and more. A certified special education teacher is on staff as well who also handles any necessary its accreditation.

Curren says there are approximately 550 Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings at the juveniles booked at the center each month. Of facility. those, 280 are detained at an average of 45 per When kids are detained at the center, Carter notifies their appropriate schools to inform them day.

“The average age of detainees here is 15, and where the students are so they won’t be counted the average stay is three-and-a-half days,” Curren absent. When students leave the center and return says, noting that the length of stay depends on the to their homes and schools, all of their coursework crime. More serious charges that include murder and grades (including standardized tests like the or possession of weapons can land a kid in juvy for TCAP) are transferred back into Metro. If detainees are private school students, Carter works with their 30 - 60 days, if not longer.

When a youth is booked, he is given two school administrators and parents to keep them up phone calls, then is photographed, finger printed, to speed with their class work. given a shower, clean underwear and socks, then The kids also participate in physical recreation is dressed in an orange jumpsuit and orange and leisure activities, which range from weight shoes. During the first 24 hours, detainees are training to playing ping-pong, basketball or segregated in what is called the Charlie Pod. Here volleyball.

Incentives are given throughout a teen’s stay, from they are seen by a case manager, medical staff, “student of the week” teacher’s aid and the accolades to chances of facility chaplain. Longerearning certain privileges term youth are given a at-risk tours (like getting to stay up a complete physical exam couple extra hours on within 14 days. he Davidson County Juvenile Friday night) based on The kids are given Detention Center offers free Youth behavior and grades. three hot meals a day, At-Risk Tours to teens and preteens “Our goal is to build along with an evening in the community who display at-risk a relationship with snack. behavior. The goal is to show kids what these kids while they life is like in juvy in hopes of helping steer are here,” says Carter.

Educational them toward a better decision-making “Most of them are highly Commitment path. All youth are screened prior, and the intelligent, but have not Where DCJDC stands tours are conducted by appointment only. been encouraged at all.” out is it’s approach to Parents must sign a release of liability form education and its way as well. In addition, the facility provides Community Support of working to encourage an At-Risk Presentation to large groups of In addition to daily and inspire kids to youth at various locations throughout the classroom education, embrace a better way. community. To learn more, call 862-8066. mentoring groups — The center operates including members of the a full-time school that

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26 our Teens

Nashville Predators and Tennessee Titans — come in regularly to visit with and encourage the kids. A full-time chaplain is present, and while religious services are offered, they are not mandatory.

“We don’t want anyone to come here, but if they do, we want it to be productive,” says Yolanda Hockett, assistant superintendent of programs.

Local agencies come in regularly to teach different life skills like nutrition and cooking, STD awareness, drug and alcohol abstinence, and more.

Parental visits are by appointment and take place Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Detainees who have earned a Level III status of good behavior can receive an additional visit on Thursdays.

“We aim to expose kids to different things during the short period of time they are here,” says Curren. “The school is the most important thing; everything else is an enhancement.”

Measuring the success of the school and

overall program at DCJDC, Carter shares a handwritten letter she received from a teen girl who was recently in the center. The girl’s heartfelt words express gratitude for the encouragement and direction she received from the teachers and staff, while stating her plans to go back to school this fall.

“That’s why we’re here doing what we do,” Carter says. “Our staff cares about these kids, and treating them like you’d want to be treated goes a long way. There’s no greater feeling of success than receiving a letter like this,” she adds.

Chad Young is managing editor for this publication.

more area juvy

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earn about Rutherford, Sumner and Williamson Counties’ juvenile justice systems by clicking on “Our Teens” at parentworld.com.

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