MONROE
TOWNSHIP - The New Jersey Juvenile Justice
Commission (JJC) today held its annual high
school commencement ceremony at the New Jersey
Training School (NJTS) in Monroe Township.
Attorney General Anne Milgram addressed the
graduates, as did Shavar Jeffries, Counsel
to the Attorney General. Assembly Majority
Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman was the keynote
speaker. Veleria N. Lawson, Executive Director
of the Juvenile Justice Commission, presented
102 graduates with their high school diplomas
or General Equivalency Degrees (GED) issued
by their local school districts or the State
. An additional 79 students received their
diplomas or GEDs over the course of the year
and have since been released from JJC supervision.
These numbers have significantly increased
since graduation last year, when the JJC conferred
75 degrees at graduation and awarded 70 mid-year
degrees.
In her remarks to the graduates, Attorney
General Anne Milgram said, “Graduation
day is a milestone that has the potential
to change lives. It is the end of one chapter
of your lives and the beginning of another.
The chapters ahead are up to you to write.”
She continued, “Your diploma brings
with it respect and responsibility. It will
open many doors for you. Now, it is up to
you to knock.”
"Today,
these young men and women have tasted success
brought about by their own perseverance and
determination," said Majority Leader
Watson Coleman. "By obtaining their high
school diplomas or equivalency certificates,
they have taken steps out of a troubled adolescence
and the first steps into what we all hope
will be a brighter future."
JJC
Commencement
All
graduates have met the high school graduation
requirements set forth by the New Jersey Department
of Education. The JJC coordinates each student’s
curricula with his or her home school to allow
the student to receive a diploma from his
or her local education authority. Students
receiving their diplomas come from NJTS, Juvenile
Medium Security Facility (JMSF), the Female
Secure and Intake Facility, and several of
the JJC’s 19 residential community homes
and day programs located throughout the State.
“The
New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission has
a challenging job - to turn around the lives
of troubled young people and provide them
the tools they need to succeed. A high school
diploma is the most important tool that our
young men and women can receive while they
are with the JJC,” said Executive Director
Lawson. “Whether these graduates choose
to continue to pursue academic studies at
the college level, focus on vocational and
technical training, or begin preparing to
enter the job market, a diploma provides them
with a sense of accomplishment and self-worth
that will help them succeed throughout their
lives.”
The JJC has implemented several educational
reforms, including creating Individual Program
Plans for each student, infusing technology
into the delivery of instruction via distance
learning and on-line instruction, establishing
partnerships with community colleges, businesses
and sister agencies to expand educational
and career opportunities, and aligning career
and vocational offerings to coincide with
occupations in high demand.
Juveniles are placed with the JJC by the courts.
Students are evaluated upon entry to the JJC
and are placed in academic classes according
to their abilities in each area. The JJC coordinates
students’ studies with sending school
districts. For those returning to school from
the JJC, this coordination often allows students
to return to their home schools at the same
place as their classmates.
In addition to the core curriculum, JJC students
are instructed in gang awareness, respect
and dignity, physical education and various
career & technical education programs.
The JJC employs more than 400 teachers, child
study team personnel and support staff. These
professionals provide state-of-the-art instruction
to students in JJC programs, juvenile county
detention centers, and community-based programs
throughout the state.
For more information on the JJC, please visit
www.njjjc.com
.
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