TMC’s Dr. Erin Beard got to interview Anna Stokes from Jackson County Juvenile Justice to talk about our work together. Here’s a deeper look into how our organizations partner with each other through Career Technical Education.
By Anna Stokes, Custody Manager for Jackson County Juvenile Justice.
I oversee programs, staff and youth who are in our detention facility within Jackson County. My favorite part of this role is getting to know each youth, making connections and helping them discover purpose and passion for life. Each youth has made a mistake that landed them in detention. Each has a different set of struggles and stressors they are facing. Meeting them where they are at is so important as well as being patient and understanding in their process. Challenges look different with each youth.
When I started with Jackson County Juvenile we had a contract with TMC. I was able to attend a screenprinting training in Talent. I wouldn’t call myself a creative person but TMC finds a way to draw creativity out in every adult and kid. I immediately loved the space and the staff. Everyone is kind, and excited to teach.
My favorite part of our collaboration has been watching how skilled the staff are at TMC. Many of them have experience working with at risk youth. Many have experience working with kids who struggle with mental health and/or learning. Watching TMC staff collaborate with our staff and youth in a meaningful way has provided hope for everyone. Our staff sees the value in working with the youth in the CTE classroom and have experienced improvements in rapport building and individual counseling time.
TMC is a special place with incredible staff. They have opened my eyes to what education can and should look like. They create a space for everyone to feel safe, be creative, heal, process, and relax. They have a beautiful mindset for growth and creativity without expectations or fear of failure which makes being around the staff fun. Most importantly, they are inspiring. If I can get excited about CTE, anyone can.
I am looking forward to being trained on the new pottery wheels and 3D scanner that was recently purchased. Having the skills from the CTE classroom has the potential to create amazing opportunities for our youth. But on the simplest level it creates moments of creativity and joy. These moments are some of our best opportunities to build rapport with the youth and help them do the internal work needed to grow in healthy ways. Every time we as staff learn a new skill that helps us connect with the kids, we are a step closer to making a positive impact.