Sharing Our Progress

As part of the University of Virginia’s community outreach program, seventeen football players visited with the students of Blue Ridge JDC on March 12th. During their visit, players provided insight into some of the struggles in their upbringing and how they maintained focused. They stressed the importance of school and reiterated how playing professional sports is a very slim chance for any of them, so having a degree from UVA is the most important part of their journey.

After speaking with the students for thirty minutes, the students ran a basketball game with multiple players. The students of BRJD barely won but were extremely excited to beat them. Students who were not playing basketball were having side conversations with players and throwing the football back and forth. A few students had a throwing competition with starting QB, Anthony Colandrea. The students were not successful, but still had a blast. In the spring, the men’s basketball team is planning on visiting with the students, to continue this partnership.

The ongoing support and involvement of UVA's athletic programs in the community, including visiting, writing letters, and mentoring, demonstrates a strong commitment to making a positive impact beyond the university campus. This connection with UVA athletic programs has just started to take off and we are optimistic about what the future holds with this community partnership. Such community collaborations can truly have influence in the lives of young people, providing them with inspiration, guidance, and opportunities for growth.

Submitted by Lisa Black, Camille Allers, and Denise Meyer

What could you build to help the Gingerbread Boy get across the river safely? This is the question the kindergarten students at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital were asked after listening to different versions of the age-old story, The Gingerbread Boy. While they all agreed that gingerbread cookies are tasty, the students still wanted to find a way to save the Gingerbread Boy from the fox. To prepare for the project, students listened to the book, Floating and Sinking by Amy S. Hansen and learned about density. They conducted a floating and sinking experiment to evaluate potential materials to use in their project. They brainstormed possible devices they could create and began the process of designing, building, and testing the device. Their final test involved placing the Gingerbread Boy on the device and watching him sail away or walk across a bridge. Each student was awarded a, You Saved the Gingerbread Boy certificate for their hard work.

By Terri Kerr, Science Teacher

The Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescence students has integrated Virtual Reality (VR) into Science classes this year. Many students have had the new experience of the vastness of the virtual world in their Science classes, which is second to only going there in person. Learning Astronomy gives students the experience of a spacewalk at the Space Station, or students can experience potential, gravitational, and kinetic energy by "riding" a virtual roller-coaster. Our students have also gone to the ocean's bottom and interacted with their favorite marine life. One student said, "I like VR because I go somewhere like it's real." The STEAM app for Oculus has many different experiences for our students as an alternative way to learn and have a memorable Science lesson. The virtual reality experience in Science classes is an unforgettable learning experience for our students at CCCA. The capability of giving our students virtual reality experiences is rewarding as an educator!

The students at Turning Point Academy located within the Lynchburg Regional Juvenile Detention Center completed a cooperative Black History Month activity. Each student was given a piece of a bigger picture of what they didn’t know. Following directions they colored each according to the assigned color. Once completed, the picture of Martin Luther King Jr. was revealed as they pieced the picture together. The end result was very colorful and abstract, showing the true nature of collaboration. Not to be out done, another Pod also completed a similar activity of civil rights activist Ruby Bridges.

Submitted by Mrs. Hutchinson

“Now, make me believe it!” is the encouraging phrase heard repeatedly from guest poet Lacroy Nixon. Mr. Nixon, whose stage name is Atlas, is a young poet doing a six-week guest program at Merrimac Detention Center. Nixon is the founder and director of SLAM Connections, a non-for-profit that promotes spoken word poetry in the Williamsburg area and beyond. He and his fellow guest poets have an infectious love of the art form, and they are part of a team of poets who perform up and down the East Coast. Mr. Nixon created the first ever Adult Historic Triangle Grand Slam Championship and its Teen counterpart. He is also currently working on having the city of Williamsburg establish its first ever poet laureate. Every Monday for six weeks, Lacroy and his poets have been coming to share their enthusiasm with some of the students at Merrimac. Lacroy has the students read their poems once and then encourages them to really feel the words as they perform them. The students are opening up more each week and becoming believers in the power of poetry!

Submitted by Amy Wood

Each year during the month of December students at NRVJDH participate in a one-hour introduction to computer science known as the “The Hour of Code.” This event began as a one-hour coding challenge designed to give students a fun first introduction to computer science. It has since become a global learning event as well as a celebration of the fact that more and more students are learning to write computer codes. Through its website, HourOfCode.com, educators can find hundreds of one-hour activities to use as a means of exposing students to the premise of writing computer codes. These activities require no experience and can be run on browsers, tablets, and smartphones.

Since beginning the program we have seen an increase in the number of students who have been exposed to the idea of computer programming and coding which can be linked to the fact that more and more schools and choosing to participate. The Hour of Code has made huge strides in bringing computer science to all students. Needless to say students enjoy playing video games, but providing them with the opportunity to generate the codes and sequences necessary to complete missions in different game-like scenarios provides them with real life learning opportunities which is something they really enjoy. It is exciting to watch a student create maneuvering activities in Minecraft and assemble blocks in the correct order so that their avatar is able to navigate through the different challenges.

At the end of the Hour of Code each student is awarded a certificate for successfully completing the activity. One student said, “I really enjoyed writing the computer code and excited about being awarded a certificate at the end.” Another student said, “This is appropriate for all ages and all levels. I loved it, hourofcode.com was a great website to help you learn to code in school.” A ninth grader, who had completed an online coding course through his home school, said “I understood more of the process with this particular website and its activities I am proud to be able to help other students and felt the activity created a sense of teamwork.”

Just because many of our students use technology so much outside of our facilities (phones, schoolwork, gaming) does not mean they understand how to utilize those same tools in a technical and structured way. Giving students the opportunity to have some struggles and successes in an area outside of the regular curriculum is important. The pairing of challenges and successes with learning can be a motivation for both the individual student and the entire class.

1,734,996,543 Hours of Code Served 107,571 events registered in 2024.

NET Academy at Norfolk Juvenile Detention Center had a special visitor speak with students about entrepreneurship on December 22, 2023. Mrs. Owens-Guy, our special education coordinator, testing supervisor, and finance teacher, invited her son, Chazz Owens, to talk with students about how he is achieving success in the business world. He sells high end apparel. His brand adorns the backs and heads of celebrities in sports, music, and entertainment. The students were fascinated by his stories and insights. He shared images of his clothing on Pharrell, Megan Thee Stallion, and other celebrities. The students were curious about how he makes contacts and maintains relationships in the fashion industry. He credits his education, his perseverance, and his family for his success. The students were inspired to see where perseverance can take someone who works hard, makes good choices, and takes advantage of opportunities. The staff and students were grateful for the visit, giving students a chance to see that there are opportunities in the world for them when they strive to make better decisions.

Written By: Ritchie Brown, MT-BC - Music Therapist

Isn’t it the best feeling when you discuss something in a Professional Development session and it’s

immediately applicable to your work? We had that experience here at NRJDC after we had an opportunity to discuss Student Directed vs Teacher Directed learning with someone from our school division!

This February, our staff, teachers, and residents came together to celebrate Black History Month in a student-driven way - through our very own “museum!” Each resident was given the opportunity to select, research, and present an influential Black figure of their choice. Not only was the topic of their research up to them, but so was the way they presented it and the environment they presented in! As pictured, many of our residents chose to create posters about their individual. However, some residents created powerpoints, analyzed lyrics, or created short handouts about their figure! Our “museum” was located on a pod and the residents selected the type of music we played - music relevant to Black History and the specific individuals they researched. Students were given time to review one anothers’ works before we welcomed the security and teaching staff in to walk around, learn about historical and modern-day influencers, and discuss the projects with the residents who created them! This was a great opportunity to encourage our residents to advocate for their wants and needs, and for them to learn based on their own curiosities!

Submitted by Malcolm Tillerson

Health and Physical Education Instructor

During the 2023-2024 School Year at Piedmont Regional Juvenile Detention Center (PRJDC), students in health and physical education class have learned about the lymphatic and immune systems and all the wonderful benefits both systems provide in protecting our bodies. Students learned about the function of the lymphatic system and how lymph nodes serve as patrolling stations to attack pathogens. Students found out why these lymph nodes swell when they are not feeling well. Students remembered times when their lymph glands had swollen and could better understand some of their past illnesses. Students were able to learn the structure of the lymphatic system and how the system picks up fluid from body tissues to control our bodies' water levels. Additionally, we compared the lymphatic system to the circulatory system. This reinforced how our tissues receive oxygen and other essential nutrients and vitamins and eliminated waste. Students studied hard to learn where lymphatic organs were in the body and how their placement uniquely correlated with being in areas of the body where pathogens could be more abundant--primarily our tonsils. Students seemed to enjoy learning how the lymphatic system and the immune system work closely together. Students were able to recognize the function of specialized B and T cells. Students learned that B cells multiply to fight pathogens and create an immune response. We compared this process to receiving vaccines. We also learned that T cells release toxins to prevent infection from spreading and activate other specialized immune cells that control the immune system.

The lessons on these two systems were very enlightening for the students at PRJDC. It was pleasing to hear students provide ways such as adequate physical activity and sleep, practicing a healthy diet, and getting routine doctor checkups not only to maintain a healthy immune and lymphatic system but our entire body.

The students at Rappahannock Juvenile Detention Center (RJDC) all worked on a compendium of literature that they created. Through this anthology, they wanted to share their feelings, thoughts, and opinions in order to leave an indelible mark of their time spent with the faculty and staff at RJDC. The parameters were as follows: students can write about how their past actions do or do not define them, they could free write a story, song, or poem, or they could choose to pen advice to future students who might find themselves in the same proverbial shoes. Throughout this process, it was stressed to the students that the idea of writing is never truly complete until the author or authors are satisfied with the pieces produced. Essentially dovetailing upon the concept that writing takes effort and an author’s mindset or ideas can change, thereby affecting the final written product. The students worked collaboratively in order to edit their work and even wanted students in other units to read their writing, with the name of the author redacted. This process allowed students to share their thoughts and feelings about innumerable topics while not exposing the names of the authors, thereby granting them the ability to speak openly and candidly. This process will continue throughout the 2023-2024 school year until we can print and bind the newest addition of the RJDC Anthology.

By Ta’Neshia Ford, Principal

Students at Virgie Binford Education Center participated in an 8-week writing project with students from the University of Richmond. The theme of the project was storytelling and Identity. The goals of the project were to practice positive communication skills such as making eye contact, setting appropriate boundaries, and understanding verbal and non-verbal cues, and deep listening and to also learn about story structure and what makes an effective story. The Post Dispositional students have enjoyed working with the U of R students and are looking forward to publishing their stories.

Students will visit the campus on April 12, 2024. While on campus they will visit the Book Arts Studio, where they will create a cover for their short story collection. This has been a wonderful learning opportunity for the students and they are excited to become published authors.

We celebrated Pi-Day at Roanoke Valley Juvenile Detention Center today, which let’s be honest, is the equivalent of Christmas for us math educators out there. Not only did the teachers and colleagues each bring in a different pie to share for lunch, but the students had the opportunity to measure the diameter, radius, circumference, and area of an oatmeal cream pie before devouring it with a big smile on their faces. It was an enjoyable time to be had by all and we were grateful to have the experience with our students and colleagues alike.

Cultivating Character activities have been a hit with residents and staff at SVJC. Students and staff have been participating in activities to foster character development. These activities have also brought an increased sense of community to our center.

Greg “Coach” Campbell has led the charge to create engaging activities that nurture character development. Our first school-wide activity was to create a “Kindness Wall.” Students were encouraged to write something kind about classmates, teachers, or staff on a card and leave those cards in the Kindness Bucket. Not only did students do an amazing job of writing kind notes to post, teachers and facility staff also participated.

The wall has brought joy to everyone. Students continue to take pride in showing others what has been written about them, as well sharing what they have written about others. Students and staff often stop by the wall to reread compliments. Even after moving on to other skills, the kindness wall continues to grow.

The school’s mural was Coach Campbell’s next project. Currently, the mural has gratitude flowers and a forgiveness tree. Students had the option to decorate flower petals with statements about things they are grateful for. Almost every student contributed at least one petal. The forgiveness tree is covered in leaves with students’ statements of forgiveness written on them.

These school-wide character activities have increased student awareness of character traits and fostered their growth. Partaking in these activities has also strengthened students’ personal relationships with both their peers and staff. It has been a positive experience for everyone involved.

Virginia Beach is now a GED testing center. Thanks to the hard work of Mr. McGowan, Transition Specialist, as well as many of those who supported him throughout the process (a special thank you to Ms. Catherine Forrest), Virginia Beach is able to test students now throughout the school year.

Students in the Post-Grad program enjoy practicing their skills on this Steam truck simulator and for some, their expressed interest in earning their commercial driver's license some day. For more information, contact Transition Specialist Mr. Eric Hitch at (eric.hitchii@vbschools.com).

By Lucas Tressler

At W. W. Moore, we’ve continued to help many students earn their diplomas and GEDs on time, and made sure they have the tools they need to succeed in their lives after they leave. Every new graduate or CTE credential is a victory, both to our students and to us. Something we haven’t talked about as much, although we are equally proud of it, is the real effect we have on our students even outside of helping them graduate. We’ve done a lot to create an educational atmosphere in which students can feel comfortable asking questions and satisfying their curiosity, and the end result has been that our students have been taking a greater interest in their own learning.

All of the teachers here make sure that, in addition to the usual classwork assignments, the students have opportunities to explore subjects on their own in their own ways. We do this through cross-curricular lessons, shared interests, and examples of real-life scenarios in which knowledge of different academic subjects is helpful and relevant. For instance, how can we use geometry and algebra to fix a leaking water pipe without calling a plumber? How can prior knowledge of the American Civil War help us navigate the modern news cycle? How can chemistry inform our own decisions about what to eat? How can being well-read help us understand fellow members of our communities? We allow kids some control over what path a lesson takes, because that is what helps them understand why they need school in the first place.

As a result, we have students asking for copies of Sherlock Holmes stories from the library. They want to know more about other countries, and even other planets. They have gotten genuinely interested in things like the geometry behind architecture and the calculations behind rocket launches. This curiosity is what motivates them to do well in class, and that, in turn, is what allows us to keep up with a graduation rate of which we can be proud.