Juvenile
Justice Perspectives
Official
Publication of the Juvenile Justice Role Model Program
Florida State University
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
November 1998
Volume 1, Issue 3
Belle Vue Middle School: An Ideal Mentoring Environment
This past summer, the Juvenile Justice Role Model Development Program announced initiation of a new undertaking, called the Belle Vue Mentoring Project. This mentoring project is an effort to provide college mentors to over one hundred local middle school students. The Role Model Program selected Belle Vue to become the host school for this exciting project.
Belle Vue Middle School is located at 214 Belle Vue Way on the Southwest side of Tallahassee. It is one of the most innovative schools in Leon County, and is known for its originality and tough academic standards. The school operates on a year-round schedule, the only school in Leon County with such a program. There are four, 9 week school periods with a three-week interim break between each period. This year-round schedule has proven to be effective in the academic success of it’s students and works well with the tough standards that are set for the students. The academic standards at Belle Vue are higher than any other middle school in Leon County, as Belle Vue students are required to pass 100% of their core benchmarks and 75% of all other benchmarks with a 77 or better average.
The Belle Vue student body consists of students from all levels of society. With a large population of at-risk students that have special needs, this is one of the main reasons the Role Model Program chose Belle Vue as the host school. At-risk students are apt to benefit most from having a college mentor that will assist them in daily challenges. In addition to having a large population of at-risk students, Belle Vue was also chosen for its close proximity to the FSU campus. Just a few miles from FSU, it provides FSU students easy and convenient access to the Belle Vue campus. Being so close will also encourage mentors to visit with their mentees on a regular basis as they will not have to spend a lot of time traveling to and from the school.
Daisy McKinney, a counselor ,will coordinate the project at Belle Vue. Ms. McKinney expressed enthusiasm and is optimistic about the relationship with FSU. "I am delighted that FSU is providing college students to mentor our needy middle school students. I am also surprised by the response, as this is the first year that we have had more mentor applications than mentee applications." Currently, there are more than 75 FSU students who are signed up to be mentors to Belle Vue students.
Orientation for new mentors took place at Belle Vue on September 7th and 14th During orientation, FSU students were briefed on various topics including the ethics of mentoring middle school students. Also discussed were suggestions for effective mentoring and "getting along" strategies were provided to help ease the sometimes-uncomfortable feelings that may occur in a new mentoring relationship.
As the mentoring project within Belle Vue expands, the relationships between FSU college students and Tallahassee middle school students will grow to new and unprecedented levels. The possibilities at Belle Vue are just beginning and the impact that will occur will be tremendous.
Daisy McKinney emphatically sums up the special relationships that will commence, "We are looking forward to having mentors become good role models, a special friend that will be there to listen to the mentee. A lot of our students do not have anyone to be there for them—we are anticipating FSU mentors being there for our students."
Spring Semester Internship Deadline Nears
Role Model students who plan to intern during the Spring semester must complete applications by October 15, 1998. Stop by the Role Model Program office in the Hecht House to pick up your intern application and use the Agency Site Manual to see what types of intern programs and locations are available. Students eligible for an internship must select an agency in Florida if they are seeking a paid internship. Additionally, only students with at least a 2.5 GPA are eligible to receive an internship stipend.
BACKGROUND
In response to state and national concern about the rapid increase in serious juvenile crime
and the growing number of young
people identified as, “at-risk,” the Juvenile Justice Role Model Development
Program was established and began offering courses in the Fall of 1995. The
Program received initial funding through the Florida Attorney General’s Office
and has subsequently been funded by the Florida Legislature and corporate and
private donations. From it’s inception, the Program has emphasized cultural
and academic diversity and students are recruited from a broad range of
disciplines including: criminal justice, criminology, sociology, psychology,
education, music therapy, theatre and athletics. Through diversity of training
and perspective, at-risk juveniles and young people already familiar with the
justice system will interface with graduates of a program who have been
specifically trained to provide the one element that has been missing in the
lives of so many of these troubled
young people…a positive role model.
The Juvenile Justice Role Model Program has a twofold mission. First, to utilize an interdisciplinary and multicultural curriculum through which students will obtain professional, academic and practical training and experience in the field of Juvenile Justice. Second, to establish a Human Resource Development Center for Florida, which will serve as a clearinghouse for employment in public and private sector juvenile justice agencies throughout the state and nation.
In order to be eligible for an Internship and a Certificate in Juvenile Justice, Role Model students are required to successfully complete 18 hours of core courses with a letter grade of C or above. The courses listed below may be taken in any order and are offered each semester.
Multicultural Perspectives on Adolescence & Adolescent Development
Youth Management, Community Organizations & Advocacy
Minorities, Crime & Social Policy
Juvenile Justice
Social Problems of Youth
Qualitative Research Methods
In addition to course requirements, students must complete fifty hours of uncompensated volunteer community service. These volunteer hours must be documented and completed before the Juvenile Justice Certificate will be awarded. Core course instructors and Program staff will assist and recommend service opportunities for students who are unable to locate a suitable agency.
STAFF
SUPPORT
Throughout
enrollment in the Program, students receive continuous support from the Program
faculty and staff.
Upon completion of the core courses, students are eligible for a 12 hour internship at an approved juvenile justice agency. Students with an overall GPA of 2.5 may apply for a paid internship. Students accepted for internship will work 40 hours per week for an entire semester and will gain valuable direct experience in a typical juvenile justice setting.
Those interested in the Role Model Program should contact the Program Office for an information packet. As part of the qualification process, applicants will be asked to submit a brief essay explaining why they believe they are qualified to become a positive role model. After review by the Program Director and staff, applicants will be notified of acceptance.