By Y. Denise Caldwell, Community & Family Relations Coordinator, TJJD North District
Seven lucky TJJD youth got to play a popular video game, Among Us, with two NFL players Adrian A.C. Colbert, a free safety with the New York Giants, and Raheem Mostert, a running back with the San Francisco 49ers.
The live streamed event, on Jan. 19, marked the launch of 
a fundraiser by the non-profit foundation, Esposure4All, which plans to donate an Esports Learning Center to be installed at TJJD’s McFadden Ranch Halfway House in Roanoke.
The foundation’s goals are to help educate and empower underserved youth by providing experiential learning and fostering opportunities in the video gaming industry. The gaming room at McFadden would equip the halfway house with computers and software for game play and education in video arts.
“This initiative with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department is truly just the beginning. Esposure4All is here to open doors and empower youth to see opportunities in the emerging world of Esports,” said Brittney Seals, Executive Director of Esposure4All. “We’re excited to build on this launch effort by providing ongoing educational resources to TJJD and additional partners in the future.”
Esposure4All is the charitable offshoot of Esposure, an esports and video technology company. Both are based in Desoto, a suburb south of Dallas. Last week’s event was set up at Esposure’s gaming center, where a few employees helped facilitate the games between McFadden youth gathered at the center and the football celebrities, who played remotely. Everyone at the center wore masks and socially distanced. The boys received headsets and t-shirts donated by Hyper X for the event.
The educational opportunity presented by the new partnership aligns well with the mission of TJJD to help youth succeed in life, said Marketa Johnson, Superintendent at McFadden Ranch.
“One of our main goals is to help our youth develop a better vision for their futu
re,” she said. “We are so grateful to Esposure4All for providing this unique, engaging experience that allows our youth to explore opportunities in the Esports industry.”
Not to mention the fun they had when the seven youth and staff visited Esposure’s gaming arena in Desoto, Texas, where, before the gaming experience, the youth toured the Center and heard motivational and inspirational words from Esposure Co-Founder and CEO, Danny Martin as well as the two NFL players.
Masked, wearing sunglasses and hoodies, the youth initially intimidated their football opponent players, by winning the first round.
However, the tables turned and with much trash talking, laughing and strategizing, the players came back and won the rest of the games. It was obvious everyone had a good time.
The youth, J.B., E. H., J. F., E.G., G.R., N.G., and D.B. are avid gamers who were excited about playing and impressed with the Esposure facility.
It was great to play against them (the NFL players) because we (the youth) came together and worked as a team,” said J.B..
J.F. said he was “grateful for the on
ce in a lifetime opportunity. I’m really thankful because this means something to me and I’m going to take it to heart.”
“It was amazing,” said N.G. said, “We connected with each other, an unbelievable experience. It wasn’t just about the game. It was more about the opportunity to meet key people in the industry, being (in) a state-of-the-art facility with state-of-the-art equipment, from chairs to headsets and large screens. Plus, we met key people and actually played against NFL players and each other.”
NFL player Colbert shared his story and answered questions from the youth, encouraging them to “be 100% and not half-a**. I’m keeping it real!” he said.
“Make sure it (what you decide to do) makes you happy. Treat people with respect and love. Serve others, too. I’m passionate about playing video games, playing football and helping others.”
Colbert said he grew up “super hard in Wichita Falls, Texas and could have been on the path to be in jail or dead. I had to remove myself from negative situations, you know, when you have to make the right decision and stop being a follower. Be a positive example.”
He said he has 14 siblings, and all of them - younger and older ones look up to him.
When asked the best thing about being in the NFL, he said: “It’s cool to live out my dreams of playing professional football, being financially stable and able to not only help my family but give back to my community, too.”
Raheem Mostert also counseled the boys to “always believe in yourself, and don’t doubt your abilities.”
He told how he had been cut from teams several times before he made the 49ers and achieved success. “Keep fighting that long fight,” he said. “It will be worth in in the end.”
Ultimately, the Esposure4All event, which also raised $71.00, was about creating the Esports Learning Center at McFadden Ranch. It will be equipped with six player PCs, gaming chairs, keyboards, mice and monitors and the youth will learn to play and learn about opportunities in Esports.
To learn more about Esposure4All and contribute to its mission, visit the Esposure website.
Photos: Upper left, McFadden Ranch youth seated at gaming consoles; Middle right, Brittney Seals, Executive Director of Esposure4All, and Marketa Johnson, McFadden Ranch Superintendent, discuss the new partnership for the livestream; Lower left, A rendering of the proposed gaming room for McFadden Ranch. These photos courtesy of Esposure4All. Bottom, a screenshot of the game play with Colbert and Mostert.
By Pedro Lozano, Youth Development Coach, Tamayo House
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again. This age-old proverb would prove true, as frustration quickly began to overtake excitement during a Tamayo House fishing trip to Por
t Mansfield.
Youth Development Coach Arturo Guevara and myself supervised this special outing. That morning, almost cat-like, the youth hopped out of bed when they were told to get ready to go fishing.
Anticipation and excitement filled the air. We loaded up the vans, off we went. During the travel, the kids could not stop talking about this opportunity. Some mentioned that they used to fish a lot but that it had been a while since they had gone, and others said they had never been fishing.
Personally, I think it was great for either, the first-timers and those who were getting re-acquainted with fishing.
We arrived at an isolated spot that had been reserved for us – so that we could maintain the social distancing required at this time. We gave the kids precautionary guidelines/safety measures; set and prepped the equipment and threw in our lines.
Twenty minutes into this activity, few kids began to grumble, saying, “I’m not coming next time,” or “Don’t bring me -- this is boring.”
Others remarked, “We are not going to catch anything,” or “Let’s go back to Tamayo.”
Hearing this, I looked around an
d saw a few youth still fishing, but one youth was all in. He was playing the sport the way it was intended to be played: patiently.
I went up to this young man and asked how he was doing.
He replied, “The fish aren’t here, they are over there.” He pointed to a nearby isolated dock that also had been reserved for us.
“Can we go over there?” he asked. So, we did.
This youth and two others, from among the discouraged group, went to fish at the other dock.
Instantly, they caught a fish!
This fish, was too small to keep, and we tossed it back in. But you could feel the excitement creeping back.
Lunchtime arrived, so the kids left the fishing rods casted and we set up to eat near the van.
The kids were asking, “We’re not going to catch anything just that one little fish, right?”
I responded, “You know, there’s a Bible story, where the disciples were fishing, but their nets were empty. They were growing impatient, just like you all, when a man (Jesus) who was walking on the shoreline said, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some”
They did and their net began to fill with so many fish, that they couldn’t haul it in.
“So rather than thinking negatively, let’s look at where we are at as being the right side, just like the story,” I said. “And if we catch nothing else, we at least were able to get out of the house for a little while. So let's continue to enjoy this outing.”
As we were eating, I took two pictures of the boys -- one as they began to eat, and the other picture capturing their reaction when they saw one of the fishing rods suddenly bending ferociously.
We all ran towards the rod, and sure enough, the boys had caught one. It took a little while to bring this fish in. They wrestled with it, let it get tired, wrestled some more, and eventually the boys won!
Ironically, the rod that caught the fish belonged to the kid that said that we were not going to catch anything, and to not bring him next time. And the one who reeled it in was the persistent kid who wanted us to go to this dock because he felt the fish were over here.
Ultimately, the group’s enjoyment reached an all-time high, and they wanted to know when we could come again. They had learned an important lesson, which is stated perfectly in Ecclesiastes 7:8. It says, “The end of something is better than its beginning. Patience is better than pride.”
By TJJD Communications
Coach Roy J. Burns and several of his players, sadly sidelined from the gridiron and the courts this pandemic year, found a way to score big in another field of endeavor.
They transformed a building at their Gainesville campus into the North Fieldhouse, a virtual (make that actual) homage to the power of sports and impact of “T-Nation” – shorthand for Gainesville’s Tornadoes teams -- on the young players.
This wasn’t just some paint refresh. Coaches and students collaborated to createdramatic large sports graphics and carefully considered gathering nooks, all blocked out in the Tornadoes’ black, white and gray colors. One wall was designated for plaques tohonorrecent all-district and all-state Tornadoes and another for photos memorializing coaches who’ve worked at the state school.
Tables and chairs got special coverings and a lineup of lockers was used to proclaim “Tornadoes” in crisply painted letters. Exhortations -- “No excuses, just hard work!” – and inspirations covered the walls.
What’s truly inspiring, says Co
ach Burns, is how the youth poured themselves into this nine-month project, providing the brains and the brawn at every juncture.
“They painted everything in that room from the logos to the Texas symbol and the T-Nation symbols. Even the paint on the floor they did. Everything was done by the kids,” he said.
“I have one kid, who did the painting, he’s over there every morning, just looking at it,” Burns chuckled.
The project got started back in March. Two things had happened. The recreation department had recently relocated their offices to the new “Main Event” recreation center, completed in 2019, which left a vacated space up for grabs. And, the pandemic began its spread across the U.S., causing major events and NBA basketball to shut down.
As they watched closures at schools and suspended sport schedules, Burns said he and Coach Henry Thomas had an inkling they might not be playing TAPPS sports for months, not in the summer and maybe not in the fall. (They were right.)
So they began a game plan for the renovation, which would provide a long-desired special place for the youth participating in football, basketball and track. Those are the three sports teams that Gainesville State School fields within the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS).
The project would give everyone, coaches and disappointed youth, a new focusfor 2020, as theycontinued to build Tornado team spirit and camaraderie; what Burns calls “a community within a community.”
Lone Star North High School Principal Eric LeJeune and Assistant Principal Rachel Lively lent their support and ideas, though they gave Coach Burns free rein on the design.
The school plans touse the fieldhouse theater room for student incentive programs, Burns said.
That room, with a projector and a white wall for a screen, is set up for reviewing game footage. Adjacent are Burns’ office and meeting tables. The meeting area boasts a specially tooled metal si
gn heralding the North Fieldhouse, courtesy of the school's active and accomplished welding program. The metal shop also provided the plaques honoring past star players. Various campus staff pitched in to "sponsor" those players, which paid for the materials.
On and off, about 20 kids had a hand in the fieldhouse project, helping from the design phase through the final paint touch-ups.
“They liked it, because it has a little bit of them in it,” Burns said. “I never made a decision without asking them what they thought about it.”
“. . . Every single piece of artwork located in this area had a game plan and debate about it including: its location, size, and the individual youth who would be responsible for drawing and painting it.”
The group decided, for instance, to feature college football logos on one wall instead of Texas city skylines. That determination came after deep discussion concluded that the skylines might exacerbate certain rivalries, while the college logos could be more expansive and inclusive, offering something for everyone.
Overall, theNorth Fieldhouse game plan, you might say, was big on teamwork and precise execution.
As Burns sees it, the project, especially the wall of plaques honoring All-State and All-District players,dubbed the “#ForeverT-Nation” wall, manifests respect and appreciation for the youth. He predicts it will go far to build trust and demonstrate the importance of teaming up to achieve great things.
“I think they can really see we apprecia
te them. The kids now, and to come, will see that ‘we do care about you and if you work hard enough, you can get your name on this wall’.”
This special place for players might just also entice youth considering trying out for teams.
“We’re trying to use those past successes as motivation for our present kids. And so far it’s working!”Burns said. “We’ve had 50 kids sign up for off season (training).”
Photos by Coach Burns and Community Relations Coordinator Stephen Claybrook.
By Barbara Kessler, TJJD Communications
TJJD has announced its first class of “Texas Model Champions,” team leaders who are being recognized for their excellent work with youth and dedication in becoming agents of change on their campuses. The Champions are:
- Patricia Galindo, Evins Regional Juvenile Center
- Brandon Spears of Giddings State School
- Tiffany Earl, McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility
- Martin Astorga, Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex
These four, who between them have nearly 50 years of experience at TJJD, excelled during an extended, rigorous evaluation in which they showed they are effectively practicing the tenets of the Texas Model, which promotes a compassionate, trauma-inform
ed approach in working with the youth.
The Texas Model is a major reform program begun under Executive Director Camille Cain that aims to help TJJD youth find lasting success in life by connecting with andempowering them to make positive changes.
Staff across TJJD have been training in the Model since July 2019 and the newly named Champions have undergone extensive training. As team leaders, they will now be teaching Texas Model strategies and concepts to the Youth Development Coaches at their campuses, said Troy McPeak, Associate Director of the Texas Model.
Together, the leaders and youth coaches are responsible for setting the right tone and skillfully deploying the model and maintaining campus safety.
“I’m very excited about this initiative. So much of the Texas Model is focused on the kids, but we cannot forget the staff. This empowers them,” McPeak said.
The Champions certificate recognizes the work they’ve done and that they’ve mastered the concepts and techniques that create meaningful and temperate interactions with the youth, McPeak said.
Galindo said that her training in the Texas Model methods is helping her better understand the youth in her care.
“I really feel that all of the changes are positive at our agency and this new way of working with youth is more natural than the correctional system we used to use,” she said.
The other champions agreed that the Texas Model is proving to be an effective therapeutic approach and affirming their career choice to work in juvenile justice.
“I’ve always loved working with youth,” said Spears. “In my opinion this is not a job to me, when you love your profession it’s not considered work in my eyes.”
***
The Champions program, conceived by Director of Secure Facilities Alan Michel, and developed in collaboration with Texas Model program staff, taps the Texas Model Mentors who are assigned to each campus.
The Mentors, as their name implies, help guide facility staff in these new Texas Model practices. Each campus is served by one Texas Model Mentor.
This fall, the Mentors launched the Champions program by selecting a candidate for potential Champions designation. After enlisting the nominee’s agreement to enter the program, they observed them in their daily interactions with youth for about a month. They coached them every day and also reviewed body camera footage from periods when they weren’t present to get a full picture of how the candidate was handling a variety of situations.
The program is rigorous by design. “We want to make sure people are embodying this and really living the principles,” McPeak said.
Some of the specific techniques and behaviors the Texas Model Mentors watched for:
- Was the leader engaging at a level appropriate for the situation, aiming to catch behaviors “low” before they escalated, but also moving toward more protective measures when necessary?
- Were they using the techniques they’d been taught of making eye contact, remaining calm in the face of adversity and self-regulating to keep their own emotional temperature in check?
- Were they making strong connections with the youth by using mindfulness, shared power and offering their undivided attention?
- Were they providing choices and compromises to the youth and giving them an opportunity to change a poor choice or inappropriate behavior? Were they offering alternative, reasonable options so youth can get a “re-do” on a mistake or help solve a difficult situation – an approach that supports internalized change?
- Were they explaining transitions, routines and variances in routines with the youth?
- Were they employing Texas Model techniques such as “playful engagement” and respectful communication to keep youth engaged, create strong bonds and maintain a calm environment?
“We want people to be excited by the Texas Model,” McPeak said, because it both elevates the work and unlocks the potential of the youth.
Research shows the techniques encompassed by the Model work to help youth feel safer, gain insight into their behavior and better control their emotions, all of which paves the way for them to make progress academically, socially and personally.
TJJD staff who fully embrace these new methods are key to steering the campuses toward the more caring and proactive culture that defines the Texas Model.
The Champions program dovetails well with the Texas Model, accelerating the cultural shift by validating and empowering staff as they seek to empower the youth. McPeak expects it will ripple through the TJJD workforce, with new Champions nominees evaluated and named until all team leaders have earned the certification, perhaps by this spring.
After that, other staff will be eligible for the program, giving them the opportunity to show their competency and empowering them as agents of change.
“The ultimate goal is that a year from now we have dozens of people coined ‘Texas Model Champions’ at each of the campuses,” McPeak said. “But we’re starting with team leads because they’re going to be the driving force.”
Photos: Martin Astorga (upper right); Tiffany Earl (middle left); Brandon Spears (middle right); Patricia Gallindo (bottom right).
By Patty Garza, Community and Family Relations Coordinator, San Antonio
TJJD staff at South Texas Region parole offices in San Antonio and Harlingen and Ayres Halfway House in San Antonio were fortunate to have seven interns working with them this past semester.
The seven represented five universities and three areas of study, law, social work and criminal justice.
TJJD staff and youth benefited greatly from the contributions of these students, who worked hard and showed creativity as they completed most of their work virtually amid the COVID crisis. They were passionate and eager to learn and made a positive impact on the youth with whom they worked.
Staff were grateful to these college students and wished them well as they completed the semester and moved on to continue with their studies.
The interns were: David Vazquez and Angela Barrientes, master’s of social work candidates, UT San Antonio; Emily Cupp and Fernando Varga, bachelor of social work students from Texas State University; J’hane Barnett law student from St. Mary’s University; Tiffany Rubin master’s of social work candidate from New Mexico University and Ashley Flores, criminal justice student from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
They brought to bear a wide array of interests as they worked with youth on learning style assessments, workforce preparation and resource development in their home counties.
One intern created virtual presentations for Ayres House youth on Hispanic Heritage Month and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) that helped the youth learn more about their cultural roots. This intern, Fernando Vargas, also provided an extensive research-based review of the benefits of adventure-based therapy, research that suggests expanded opportunities for youth to heal and thrive.
Angela Barrientes created a "Recycle Game" that combined learning about how to recycle various materials with a fun toss-the-ball element, making use of the concept that games can enhance education.
Another intern completed an entire presentation and workbook on self-care after assessing the youth at Ayres House to determine their needs, interest level and proven beneficial data.
Several of the interns also generously donated items to the youth to help them participate in activities.
Emily Cupp donated books to youth she mentored and also gave a jumbo jenga game, yard bowling set, snacks and pizza for a Game Day.
Intern David Vazquez donated a punching bag. Vargas brought pan dulce and hot chocolate for his Hispanic heritage presentation. Tiffany Rubin donated a Freedom Writers Book to youth she was mentoring and Barrientes donated the materials for the “Recycle Game” that she created.
Photos: A college intern mentors a youth remotely (upper right); TJJD staff meet virtually with the interns (bottom).