Tutor program boosts confidence and teaches new skills

A new Monroe County program is assuring youth a brighter future. \nJuvenile Alternative Management Sessions (JAMS), developed by the Monroe County Department of Community Corrections, helps juvenile offenders problem-solve through counseling and other interactive activities.\nThe MCDCC has implemented the alternative program aimed at rehabilitating juvenile offenders through a curriculum that focuses on developing living skills and cognitive-based skill building, said Tom Rhodes, director of Community Corrections. In 2002, the Department of Community Corrections re-directed a total of 63 juveniles into Home Detention and JAMS instead of expensive detention centers, according to the Monroe County Web site, www.co.monroe.in.us. Most of the participants are teenagers. \nThe program is intended to teach practical thinking through various activities to prepare participants for the future.\n"We try to help (the participants) think in a positive manner," Rhodes said, "and to think before they act." \nJAMS began in late 1997 after the Department of Corrections approved a grant with the help of the IU School of Education. The program is still funded by the Department of Corrections. Juvenile offenders are placed in the program by a court order based on recommendations made by probation officers. Each session lasts 12 weeks.\nOne of the main components of the program is tutoring sessions by IU volunteers for students who are having trouble with school work or are preparing to take the GED. JAMS takes place after school from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Community Corrections offices, 405 W. Seventh St. Tutoring sessions are usually held on a one-on-one basis and last about an hour. \nHelp is available for any subject, but most students tend to need help with math and English the most, said Rachael Miller, a coordinator for the program.\nThe help appears to pay off. Students who participate in the tutoring sessions seem to enjoy it, and it is reflected in the improvement in the participants' grades, Miller said.\n"Kids will ask if we are having tutors today and they enjoy it," Miller said. "They like having someone to work with and they get to know the tutors." \nRhodes said the tutoring sessions go beyond school into lessons for every day.\n"The tutors have a major impact in improving their grades," Rhodes said. "It improves their self-esteem and gives them hope to have a brighter future."\nA majority of juveniles in the program are very willing to work with the tutors, said IU senior and program tutor Jessica Dingeldein.\n"They like the help and they are usually very gracious with the tutors," Dingeldein said.\nBoth sides feel the program's benefits. Dingeldein, who originally heard about the program through a friend and volunteered to meet a requirement for a class, has since continued tutoring for two years.\n"I love it," Dingeldein said. "It's rewarding to work with the kids who probably need the help and don't ask and don't get it in school."\nJAMS looks for tutors who are comfortable working with juveniles and kids, Miller said. The time commitment varies from person to person and the number of tutors depends on the time of year. \nFor more information about volunteering, contact Rhodes at 349-2005.