Federal Youth Court Program

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Youth Court E-update

Date: May 2005 - (Download PDF Version)

Topic: Home Schooled Volunteers

Question: Does your youth court program have volunteers that are home schooled? If so, how did you recruit them (e.g. word of mouth, newspaper)? Do you take any steps to target them specifically?

Responses from Coordinators:

Lee County Teen Court
Evelyn Kirbach
Teen Court Program Coordinator
20th Judicial Court Administrator's Office - Florida
1039 SE 9th Place, #361
Cape Coral, FL 33990
Phone: 941-458-7084 Fax: 941-458-7083
Email: ekirbach@ca.cjis20.org

We have several home schooled members. They hear about the program through the media.

Orange County Teen Court
David Medvec
Teen Court Coordinator
Orange County Court Administration
2000 East Michigan Street
Orlando, FL 32806
Phone: 407-836-9517 Fax: 407-835-5022
Email: ctaddm1@ocnjcc.org
Website: www.ninja9.org

Yes, word of mouth. Most home school students still have periodic testing. We put our poster at them locations.

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Polk County Teen Court
Mary Carrier
Director
Circuit Judge's Office
P.O. Box 9000
Drawer J-111
Bartow, FL 33831
Phone: 863-534-4648 Fax: 863-534-4098
Email: mcarrier@jud10.flcourts.org

We do have volunteers that are home schooled. The recruitment is just by word of mouth or newspaper articles.

Joseph Ehrheart
Executive Director
United Youth Courts of Alaska
1029 West 3rd Avenue, Suite 300
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: 907-263-6936 Fax: 907-276-3108
Email: uyca@alaska.net
Website: www.alaskayouthcourt.org

Yes, most of our courts have Home Schooled youth that volunteer; Mat-Su Youth Court currently has 10 of them. They are often recruited through the schools, email and word of mouth since most communities are very small. I hope that helps? I personally don’t do any youth recruitment, however the individual courts do. They send out newsletters, visit the schools, and hold community events that allow them to visit with current youth members. All the coordinators wish they had more home schooled volunteers because they are more flexible with their schedules.

Parker Teen Court
Sue Ratcliff
Court Administrator
Parker Municipal Court
20120 E. Mainstreet
Parker, CO 80138
Phone: 303-805-3101 Fax: 303-805-3126
Email: sratcliff@ci.parker.co.us
Website: www.parkeronline.org

I have a hand full, probably 5-6 kids that are home schooled in my Teen Court. They are very dedicated and really stand out. When they filled out the application, they advised they saw the Teen Court in the local newspaper. This has been the most successful tool in my recruiting.

Capital Area Teen Court
Neil Baker
Teen Court Coordinator
ReEntry, Inc.
P.O. Box 724
Raleigh, NC 27602
Phone: 919-856-5671 Fax: 919-856-5673
Email: Neil.Baker@co.wake.nc.us

We have a lot of home schooled kids volunteering with our program. We don't really target them. I know a lot of the kids that volunteer as layers are also involved in YMCA government club. There are a lot of home schooling associations in our area. You could look them up in your area on the web and advertise to them that way. Teen Court is a great activity for homeschoolers to participate in on the side.

Elizabeth Adams
Statewide Expansion Coordinator
Office of Safe Schools and Youth Services
SC Department of Education
1429 Senate Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803-734-5801 Fax: 803-734-0806
Email: eadams@sde.state.sc.us

Not to my knowledge do any of the youth court programs in SC have home-schooled volunteers. We are not opposed to these students participating as volunteers in community-based youth courts; however, we have not had any interest from them.

Orleans County Youth Court
Tricia Croce
Youth Court Designee
Orleans County Probation
13925 Rte. 31, Suite 200
Albion, NY 14411
Phone: 585-590-4106 Fax: 585-590-4103
Email: ocpins@orleansny.com

We do have some volunteer who are home or private schooled. When we recruit we always send press releases to the local papers and pennysavers- most of those who are home/private schooled hear about the program through that media.

Sarpy County Teen Court
Kris Peissig-Chester
Teen Court Coordinator
1257 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 11 W
Papillion, NE 68046
Phone: 402-593-2207
Email: teencourt@sarpy.com
Website: http://www.sarpy.com/teencourt/

I have about 3 volunteers that are home-schooled. All of them heard about Teen Court from our website. However, there is a facility where home-schooled kids can go on field trips and/or socialize with other home-schooled kids. Parents can also get support and material there. I send them flyers and am trying to schedule a mock hearing for the kids to watch.

Marita Bunch
Program Director
North Star Youth Court
P.O. Box 82147
Fairbanks, AK 99708
Phone: 907-457-6792 Fax: 907-457-6791
Email: nsycpd@mosquitonet.com
Website: www.mosquitonet.com/~nsyc/

We have a larger than usual population of home school students in Alaska. There are a few different local "schools" that deliver the curriculum and service the student’s needs. I mail the registration to the local office, but have found that most of their communication is via e-mail. I electronically send the registration to my school contact and that person sends it to all the students. We have many home school students in each class. They are wonderful to have in the program, students that are available to assist with community presentations and recruitment during school hours. I also have an article in the youth page of the newspaper prior to each training.

West Eugene Teen Court
Bruce Steinmetz
Supervisor
City of Eugene
Petersen Barn Community Center
870 Berntzen Road
Eugene, OR 97402
Phone: 541-682-6376 Fax: 541-682-8192
Email: bruce.h.steinmetz@ci.eugene.or.us

We have several home-schooled volunteers. In our community there is a Home Source agency that provides resources to home schooled families and we recruited a couple very good volunteers by setting up a table at their "open house." Also, our information goes out in the city's guide to recreational activities and several excellent volunteers have come to us through that route. Home school parents are often very resourceful and on the alert to find meaningful activities for their kids, so it can pay to find out where they might look.

Youth Court of Jefferson County
Michael Vincent
Youth Court Director
The Resolution Center of Jefferson and Lewis Counties
200 Washington Street, Suite 207
Watertown, NY 13601
Phone: 315-785-0333 Fax: 315-785-0322
Email: youthcrt@imcnet.net
Website: www.jefflewismediation.org

No, we do not have any home schooled youth involved as volunteers of the court however we do process cases involving them as respondents (7 to 15 years of age). Their student status allows any of them to apply with the program as volunteers (15 to 19 years of age).

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Montgomery County Teen Court
Georgine DeBord
Teen Court Coordinator
Montgomery County State's Attorney
50 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 240-777-7344 Fax: 240-777-7413
Email: Georgine.Debord@montgomerycountymd.gov
Website: www.communityprosecution.org

In Montgomery County, we have been fortunate that word of mouth is our best recruitment tool. We have juries that have home, private and public school volunteers on them.

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Columbia County Teen Court
Meg McCullough
Coordinator
CESA 5
P.O. Box 564
Portage, WI 53901-0564
Phone: 608-742-8814 Ext. 242 Fax: 608-742-2384
Email: mcculloughm@cesa5.k12.wi.us

We have had a home schooled respondent, who in turn then became part of our peer jury. Our court requires respondents to serve on the jury.

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Chicago Policy Peer Jury Programs
Clifton Underwood
Peer Jury Coordinator
Chicago Police Dept.
3510 S. Michigan, Room 4081
Chicago, IL 60653
Phone: 312-745-5607 Fax: 312-745-6832
Email: clifton.underwood@chicagopolice.org

Not knowledgeable of this information at this time. I will make the inquiry and contact you with the results.

Johnson County Youth Court
Courtney Barden
Youth Court Supervisor
Johnson County Court Services
1255 East 119th Street
Olathe, KS 66061
Phone: 913-324-6932
Email: courtney.barden@jocogov.org

Yes, I have several volunteers who are home-schooled. I had not in the past done anything to specifically target them, however, once one of them was involved, they invited me to speak at the home-schooled association and I got several more interested students that way.

David VanLandegen
Rock Island County
1503 3rd Ave.
Rock Island, IL 61201
Phone: 309-788-3046
Email: dvanlandegen@co.rock-island.il.us

No, we do not have any.

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Warren County Youth Court
Kathryn Price
Youth Court Director
Council for Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse
346 Main Street, Suite 2
Hudson Falls, NY 12839
Phone: 518-746-1527 Fax: 518-746-1779
Email: warrenctythcrt@yahoo.com

We have a few volunteers who are home schooled. I believe they saw our advertisements in the local newspaper.

Cabarrus County Teen Court
Cynthia Seaforth
Teen Court Coordinator
Cabarrus County Mediation Center, Inc.
P.O. Box 1222
Concord, NC 28026
Phone: 704-786-1820 Fax: 704-721-3311
Email: ccmctcp@ctc.net
Website: http://www.nomoreconflict.org/tc.htm

Yes, I do have youth who are home schooled. We got them through word of mouth. Their mother wanted them to do community service as part of their learning process and found out about our program through a church friend. They participate regularly and one has moved up to be an attorney.

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Seminole County Teen Court
Jennifer Taylor
Teen Court Coordinator
PAY Program
190 Bush Boulevard
Sanford, FL 32773
Phone: 407-665-5364 Fax: 407-665-5365
Email: jtaylor02@seminolecountyfl.gov

I only have one volunteer who is home schooled. My thoughts would be word of mouth. Hope this helps.

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College Station Teen Court
Peggy Calliham
Coordinator
City of College Station
PO Box 9960
College Station, TX 77840
Phone: 979-764-3499 Fax: 979-764-3894
Email: pcalliham@cstx.gov
Website: www.cstx.gov/home/index.asp?page=1445

We have home one home schooled volunteer. I am not sure how he got the information. Our Teen Court is pretty well known around town and he was able to apply from the internet. We do not specifically recruit home schoolers but will accept if they work within our guidelines.

Our Teen Court in Bastrop did have a problem with one and you may wish to talk with Joanne Wilder for her thoughts. jwilder100@austin.rr.com

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Hedwig Village Teen Court
Lisa Reed
Program Coordinator
955 Piney Point Road
Houston, TX 77024
Phone: 713-465-6009 Fax: 713-465-6807
Email: hedwigteencourt@yahoo.com

I do not have any home schooled children in my program. You might try contacting the school district administration office to see if they have a resource for you.

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LaCrosse County Peer Court
Bobbie Tippery
Peer Court Coordinator
Boys & Girls Club of Greater LaCrosse
1331 Clinton St.
LaCrosse, WI 54603
Phone: 608-784-3345 Fax: 608-782-3933
Email: Bee85@hotmail.com

Our program does not currently have any youth volunteers who are/have been home-schooled. My referrals come through the City, not the schools, so I have no information about that for you.

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Wells County Teen Court
Angie Dial
Teen Court Coordinator
Family Centered Services
123 S. Marion Street
P.O. Box 207
Bluffton, IN 46777
Phone: 260-824-8574 Fax: 260-824-2790
Email: WellsTeenCourt@yahoo.com
Website: www.familycenteredservices.org

We have a home-school association. I send literature to them yearly; however, I'm not sure how helpful it has been. Recently, it seems that I have gotten my home-schooled volunteers from word of mouth.

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Amherst Youth Court
Michael Torrillo
Coordinator
Amherst Police Department
500 John James Audobon Parkway
Amherst, NY 14228
Phone: 716-689-1344 Fax: 716-568-1182
Email: mtorrillo@adelphia.net

We do not have any home schooled kids in our court, however one of my officers home schools their six kids. They have a lot of networks with traditional education and could probably get the message through that group.

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Monongalia County Teen Court
CW Mullins
Teen Court Coordinator
265 Spruce Street, Room 116
Morgantown, WV 26505
Phone: 304-292-1236
Email: Monteencourt@hotmail.com

We have a couple of volunteers who are homeschooled right now. One stayed as a volunteer after being adjudicated. The other learned about teen court from a friend. Most of the volunteers that I have right now have come from word of mouth.

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Midland Teen Court
Mary Beck
Executive Director
Midland Teen Court, Inc.
615 West Missouri, #226
Midland, TX 79701-5017
Phone: 432-689-1065 Fax: 432-689-1087
Email: mbeck@midlandteencourt.org
Website: www.midlandteencourt.org

Midland Teen Court has had outstanding home school students--recruited through word of mouth, Scouts, etc.

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Teen Court, Inc.
Marcia Frazier
Executive Director
P.O. Box 1971
Lawton, OK 73505
Phone: 580-250-1466 Fax: 580-536-5573
Email: cagirlnok1@sbcglobal.net

We have four home schooled kids. They were recruited from their church youth group. They are awesome!

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Placer County Peer Court
Karen Green
Peer Court Coordinator
671 Newcastle Road., Suite 7
Newcastle, CA 95658
Phone: 916-663-9227 Ext. 2# Fax: 916-663-2965
Email: placerpeercourt@aol.com
Website: www.peercourt.com

Placer County Peer Court has several home schooled student volunteers. Our web site seems to be the way many of them find out about us. Our court calendar is published in all the school announcement bulletins including the one available from the county office of education where many of the home schools get assistance or support services. Once one child gets involved the word seems to get out. We don't do anything special to recruit.

Mat-Su Youth Court
Lisa Albert-Konecky
Program Coordinator
City of Wasilla
290 E. Herning Ave
Wasilla, AK 99654
Phone: 907-373-9045 Fax: 907-373-9075
Email: msyc@ci.wasilla.ak.us
Website: www.cityofwasilla.com/youthcourt/

Our program has a large group of home schooled students. Our school district’s correspondence program notifies their students of our upcoming classes (I send a flyer to the school district administration and they pass it on to all their jr. and high schools). We have a parent that also sends out an email to the cyber school her students use, giving them information about upcoming training classes.

Alaska has a fairly large population of home-schooled children. Our youth court offers one half a high school credit in a social studies elective after completion of 120 hours of work in our youth court. This is a big motivator for home schooled students who can work on getting school credit and get a bit of social interaction to go along with it.

Pender County Teen Court
Becky Copenhaver
Teen Court Coordinator
Community Mediation Center of Cape Fear, Inc.
140-A Cinema Drive
Wilmington, NC 28403
Phone: 910-362-8000 Fax: 910-362-8008
Email: becky@wemediate.net
Website: www.wemediate.net

Yes, we do have one home-schooled young man. He has been fulfilling an internship with our agency and became interested in Teen Court. He has been an active volunteer for the past year. I suggest getting in touch with the home-school network, which is quite active in every community to recruit volunteers.

Teen Court of Sarasota, Inc.
Katie Self
Executive Director
P.O. Box 48927
Sarasota, FL 34230
Phone: 941-861-8460 Ext. Fax: 941-841-8461
Email: fatc@verizon.net
Website: www.flteencourt.net/sarasota

In our program in Sarasota County, Florida we do have home schooled student participants, both volunteers as well as defendants. We seem to have reached the volunteers wither through word of mouth or pieces we put in the newspaper just before our student orientation sessions.
They have proven to be among our best volunteers over the years. I think part of that is due to the fact that sometimes home schooled students do not participate in many extra curricular activities which results in a great deal of enthusiasm to their volunteer contribution through Teen Court.

Duncanville Teen Court
Olivia Harrington
Teen Court Coordinator
City of Duncanville
P.O. Box 380280
Duncanville, TX 75138-0280
Phone: 972-780-5063 Fax: 972-780-6463
Email: oharrington@ci.duncanville.tx.us
Website: www.Duncanville.com/teen_court.shtm

I have had a few and they have been great. Locally there is a home school newsletter and I was able to get a blurb in it. Haven’t done so lately. I do publicize trainings in the local paper and city’s newsletter.

Taylor County Teen Court
Toni Matthias
Teen Court Coordinator
224 S. Second Street
Medford, WI 54451
Phone: 715-748-1435
Email: toni.matthias@wicourts.gov

Our program doesn't currently have any volunteers that are home-schooled. We do have volunteers from the Alternative School...the teacher there actually requires the students to participate in Teen Court.

Ontario County Youth Court
Debbie Holland
Program Coordinator
Partnership for Ontario County
3010 County Complex Drive
Canandaigua, NY 14424
Phone: 585-396-4519 Fax: 585-396-8821
Email: deb.holland@co.ontario.ny.us
Website: www.partnershipoc.org

We used to. All three have graduated. These three came to us through other YC members. I have tried to encourage them specifically=--by contacting their support groups, etc. These can usually be found on the net--home school, state, and specific area. I really got nowhere with that. However, it is very beneficial (both sides) and they are a great addition to the program.

Bladen County Teen Court
Johnice Autry
Teen Court Coordinator
Cooperative Extension Center
PO Box 249
Elizabethown, NC 28337
Phone: 910-862-4591 Fax: 910-862-6939
Email: Johnice_Autry@ncsu.edu

Try going through the 4-H office (Cooperative Extension Service) they usually have a great deal of contact with the homeschoolers because they use 4-H programs.

New Orleans Teen Court
Lorri Fentress
Executive Director
6740 Kirby Oaks Lane
Memphis, TN 38119
Email: lorrif@hotmail.com

Yes, maybe 10 or less. We received them by previous announcements in newspapers, by word of mouth from other volunteers, and from adults seeing the NYCC Youth Court posters are displayed in Civil District Court and Juvenile Court. They were not specifically targeted.

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Charles County Sheriff's Teen Court
Maryellen Kraese
Teen Court Coordinator
Office of the Charles County Sheriff
6915 Crain Highway
P.O. Box 189
La Plata, MD 20646-0189
Phone: 301-609-3916 Fax: 301-392-0842
Email: kraesem@ccso.us

Yes, we do. I believe both word of mouth and newspaper article both came into play for spreading the word. Also, I believe parents of home-schooled kids have regularly scheduled meetings. So that would be a perfect opportunity to inform parents of youth court programs. Also, we have an agreement with the Learning Service Coordinators, because kids are required to do Learning Service Projects (home-schooled or not) that our program is and accepted project.

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Pennington County Teen Court
Michele Brink-Gluhosky
Teen Court Coordinator
Pennington County State's Attorney's Office
300 Kansas City Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: 605-394-2531 Fax: 605-394-2616
Email: michellebg@co.pennington.sd.us

I have had a couple in the past, although not currently. I had contacted a couple of home school groups by looking in the phone book, calling a couple of churches and calling the local school district office - because if they are home schooled, the district has that noted and has a contact adult. I found a mom who does a newsletter for all the homeschoolers in our area that sign up for it. She put in a brief note about Teen Court in one newsletter, and I started getting calls.

Allegany County Youth Court
Sienna Markel
Youth Court Coordinator
Youth Bureau
2 Jag Drive
Belmont, NY 14895
Phone: 585-268-7900 Ext. 2142 Fax: 585-268-7992
Email: smarkel@gvcs.wnyric.org
Website: www.acyc.us

The Allegany County Youth Court actually has several homeschoolers as YC members, and they hear about the program on the radio, newspaper, 4H events, word of mouth, etc. They are some of my very best members on the Court.

Asheboro/Randolph Teen Court Program
Cheryl Benford
Coordinator
Randolph County Government
1520 North Fayetteville Street
Asheboro, NC 27203
Phone: 336-683-8227 Fax: 336-683-8217
Email: clbenford@co.randolph.nc.us
Website: www.randolphteencourt.org

We currently do not have any youth that are home schooled who volunteer for our program but if you check within your county/state, most places have a home school organization.

Robin Winkfield
Teen Court Program Coordinator
Administrative Office of the Courts
100 Millcreek Park
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: 502-573-2350 Ext. 2198 Fax: 502-573-0363
Email: robinwinkfield@mail.aoc.state.ky.us
Website: www.kycourt.net

Yes, we actually have a coordinator that is a member of the HSA and she recruits by speaking and presenting the program to the group.

In two of our teen court areas we have a ton of home school participants because of her efforts.

Fort Lupton High School Teen Court
Roberta Chacon Caciari
Faculty Volunteer Representative
Fort Lupton High School
530 Reynolds
Fort Lupton, CO 80621
Phone: 303-857-7115 Fax: 303-857-7179
Email: rchacon@ftlupton.k12.co.us

our particular youth court is funded by a grant that allows us an in school officer at the middle school and high school and other issues including youth court If you have any other questions during the summer you can contact me at bchaconcaciari@msn.com during the summer.

Teen Court
Judy Michel
Teen Court Coordinator
Gila County Juvenile Probation
714 S. Beeline Highway, Suite 104
Payson, AZ 85541
Phone: 928-474-2242 Fax: 928-474-1752
Email: jmichel@courts.sp.state.az.us

Yes, we do have home schooled volunteers. One of our Juvenile Probation Officers has children who are home schooled. Through him, we have we have at least 5 volunteers who help out regularly. We also have volunteers from a couple of our alternative schools who are looking for places for students to do civic community service.

Project Chance - Dorchester School District Two Youth Court
Lessie Penn
Youth Court Director
Dorchester School District Two
1325 F Boone Hill Road
Summerville, SC 29483
Phone: 843-832-7880 Fax: 843-832-7036
Email: Lpenn@dorchester2.K12.SC.US

Presently, we do not have any volunteers that are home schooled but will gladly consider any application. We do have volunteers from one of our private schools and will have some additional volunteers from our local private military academy.

Green River Teen Court
Peggy Beckum
Municipal Judge
City of Green River
50 East Second Street North
Green River, WY 82935
Phone: 307-872-6116 Fax: 307-872-0567
Email: pbeckum@cityofgreenriver.org

We don’t have home schooled volunteers. We do have volunteers from one of the church schools and from the alternative high school. We publish ads in the newspaper to ask for volunteers for Teen Court. I usually run the ads in August just before school starts in September.

Huntington Youth Court
Maria Danisi
Project Director
Huntington Youth Bureau
423 Park Avenue
Huntington, NY 11743
Phone: 631-271-5547 Fax: 631-271-1360
Email: youthcourt@optonline.net
Website: www.huntingtonyouthcourt.com

We do not have any volunteers that are home schooled. We do not target those kids for recruitment either. Good idea though. I might consider this for next year.

Lawrence County Teen Court
Marlene Todd
Director
P.O. Box 227
68 Sherman Street, Suite 213
Deadwood, SD 57732
Phone: 605-722-8889 Fax: 605-722-8888
Email: teencrt@mato.com
Website: www.southdakotateencourt.org

We do have a few youth that are home schooled. They have heard about the program through the newspaper articles, our Open House and from other friends.

Teen Court Program
Nikki Willett
Youth Program Coordinator
Community Action Program Region VII, Inc.
2105 Lee Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58504-6798
Phone: 701-258-2240 Fax: 701-258-2245
Email: nicoleb@cap7.com
Website: www.cap7.com

No, we do not have any students that are home schooled with in out Teen Court Program.

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