/*jsonp*/s7classics7sdkJSONResponse("WEBVTT\r\n\r\n00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:12.260\r\nTell me about your goal. What's your goal going to be?\r\n\r\n00:00:12.260 --> 00:00:15.560\r\nBy building youth skills and\r\nstrengthening families,\r\n\r\n00:00:15.560 --> 00:00:20.780\r\nthe Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice promotes\r\ncommunity safety, and positive youth outcomes.\r\n\r\n00:00:20.780 --> 00:00:24.080\r\nThe new mission is a reminder\r\nthat the Mandate of the\r\n\r\n00:00:24.080 --> 00:00:29.780\r\nIllinois Department of Juvenile Justice is to\r\nbuild youth, strengthen families, and\r\n\r\n00:00:29.780 --> 00:00:37.900\r\npromote safety, this is tantamount to who\r\nwe are and what we represent. IDJJ\r\n\r\n00:00:37.900 --> 00:00:45.280\r\nbuilds, strengthens, and promotes, and this is evident throughout our entire department.\r\n\r\n00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:50.860\r\nDJJ started to evolve even\r\nbefore we adopted the new mission statement.\r\n\r\n00:00:50.860 --> 00:00:55.620\r\nI think the mission just gives\r\nus real focus, laser-like focus toward\r\n\r\n00:00:55.620 --> 00:00:59.909\r\nwhat it is that we're trying to do. The\r\nmost salient words that grabbed my\r\n\r\n00:00:59.909 --> 00:01:06.360\r\nattention and our new mission statement\r\nare youth, families, and community. The new\r\n\r\n00:01:06.360 --> 00:01:10.260\r\nmission statement is focused on the\r\nwhole youth, meaning the families and the\r\n\r\n00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:14.430\r\ncommunities in which they live. It\r\nencompasses a belief that I hold\r\n\r\n00:01:14.430 --> 00:01:19.830\r\nstrongly, and that is \"it takes a village\r\nto raise a child.\" The village approach\r\n\r\n00:01:19.830 --> 00:01:25.170\r\nrecognizes that our youth are not raised\r\nin a vacuum, but they're part of a larger\r\n\r\n00:01:25.170 --> 00:01:31.320\r\ncommunity, my community. This mission\r\nshows the connectedness of us all and\r\n\r\n00:01:31.320 --> 00:01:37.140\r\nthat we all have a responsibility to the\r\nyouth, to each other, and the community.\r\n\r\n00:01:37.140 --> 00:01:42.160\r\nTo me, the mission is an opportunity for\r\nyouth to have a second chance at life.\r\n\r\n00:01:42.160 --> 00:01:46.960\r\nIt also speaks to our obligation as\r\ncaretakers for youth, not only to provide\r\n\r\n00:01:46.960 --> 00:01:50.700\r\nthem with a safe environment, but to\r\nencourage a positive change through\r\n\r\n00:01:50.700 --> 00:01:54.840\r\neducation and programming. Under the care\r\nof the department, we receive opportunities\r\n\r\n00:01:54.840 --> 00:01:59.400\r\nto attend and graduate from high school,\r\nearn our general education diploma,\r\n\r\n00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:05.080\r\nwe can train in vocational programs,\r\nattend dual enrollment courses, and enroll in college.\r\n\r\n00:02:05.080 --> 00:02:07.920\r\nAs the school principal I'm very passionate\r\n\r\n00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:11.940\r\nabout my professional\r\nresponsibility to educate our youth in\r\n\r\n00:02:11.940 --> 00:02:18.420\r\na manner that encompasses their academic\r\nskills, social skills, and addresses their\r\n\r\n00:02:18.420 --> 00:02:23.780\r\nemotional needs. Moreover, education is the foundation\r\n\r\n00:02:23.780 --> 00:02:30.160\r\nfor equipping our youth with soft skills,\r\nlife skills, and communication skills,\r\n\r\n00:02:30.160 --> 00:02:36.900\r\nwhich are the necessary tools needed to\r\nensure future success and outcomes.\r\n\r\n00:02:36.900 --> 00:02:41.010\r\nWith the education and programming we provide,\r\nyouth the opportunity to pursue high\r\n\r\n00:02:41.010 --> 00:02:45.420\r\nschool diploma, GED completion,\r\npostgraduate certification in culinary\r\n\r\n00:02:45.420 --> 00:02:49.200\r\narts, custodial maintenance, and\r\nhorticulture. In addition to drug\r\n\r\n00:02:49.200 --> 00:02:52.560\r\ntreatment and life-parenting skills, just\r\nto name a few.\r\n\r\n00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:57.630\r\nAlso, there are a variety of professional\r\nand volunteer experiences offered to us\r\n\r\n00:02:57.630 --> 00:03:02.310\r\nthrough community and employer\r\npartnerships. You have programs for kids\r\n\r\n00:03:02.310 --> 00:03:05.910\r\nthroughout the day, every day, to build\r\nthose very same things that are mission\r\n\r\n00:03:05.910 --> 00:03:11.040\r\nstates. From youth skills and also tying in\r\nfamilies into that as well, so we can\r\n\r\n00:03:11.040 --> 00:03:15.300\r\npromote these positive outcomes. Our\r\nfamily's our strengthened through the skills\r\n\r\n00:03:15.300 --> 00:03:19.800\r\nwe gained and the time we spend together\r\nduring visitation and special events.\r\n\r\n00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:25.709\r\nWe utilize all the tools available to them\r\nto strengthen families. We do everything\r\n\r\n00:03:25.709 --> 00:03:30.989\r\nin our power to ensure that youth and\r\ntheir families have face-to-face visits,\r\n\r\n00:03:30.989 --> 00:03:37.350\r\nfrequent phone calls, video conferences,\r\nand mail. These efforts have benefited\r\n\r\n00:03:37.350 --> 00:03:42.660\r\neveryone involved and have resulted in\r\nsuccesses. We are given opportunity to\r\n\r\n00:03:42.660 --> 00:03:47.640\r\ngive back to our communities, reflect on our\r\nmistakes and build towards a better future.\r\n\r\n00:03:47.640 --> 00:03:54.740\r\nIt's important to know that our\r\nfuture lies in the hands of these young people.\r\n\r\n00:03:54.740 --> 00:04:00.320\r\nThey are our future leaders. And\r\nif we ignore the importance of providing\r\n\r\n00:04:00.320 --> 00:04:05.000\r\nthem with the structure, and love, and\r\nsupport that they need, we're doing our\r\n\r\n00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:09.160\r\ncommunity a disservice. I get to meet amazing youth.\r\n\r\n00:04:09.160 --> 00:04:13.890\r\nAnd when I have had the opportunity\r\nto get to know the youth in our care,\r\n\r\n00:04:13.890 --> 00:04:21.150\r\nthey never cease to amaze me and inspire\r\nme. They have so much hope, despite all\r\n\r\n00:04:21.150 --> 00:04:27.000\r\nthat they've been through, so much\r\ncapacity for compassion, so much capacity for giving.\r\n\r\n00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:33.539\r\nAnd dreams...big dreams. And it\r\nis absolutely awe-inspiring for me to\r\n\r\n00:04:33.539 --> 00:04:39.479\r\nsee youth overcome all the barriers that\r\nthey face, both, before they get to us,\r\n\r\n00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:44.340\r\nwhile they're with us, and once they are\r\nleaving us and still succeed.","233723207");