The FSU Role Model Program has selected another organization, The Tallahassee Boy’s Choir, as the second participant in it’s Mentoring Project. One of the most unique organizations to serve juveniles in Leon County, the Boy’s Choir will now be the recipient of dozens of college student mentors from the Role Model Program. With mentors in Belle Vue Middle School and the Tallahassee Boy’s Choir, the Role Model Program will have more than 100 college mentors serving the community’s youth. 

The Tallahassee Boy’s Choir, begun in 1995, was the idea of Earle Lee Jr. Lee who has a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in social work from Florida State University is Director of the Choir. Lee modeled the Boy’s Choir after an earlier choir he began in 1993 at a juvenile detention facility in South Carolina. The great success experienced with the earlier choir laid the foundation for the Tallahassee Boy’s Choir.

With the help of several Leon County businesses and organizations, including the FSU School of Social Work, and a $75,000 grant from the Jesse Ball DuPont Foundation, the Choir now has the support needed to solidify the program. Currently, the Choir has 110 members ranging from 7-18.

The Choir is a musical chorus of boys from the southside of Tallahassee who are trained by Earl Lee to sing a range of music including African-American spirituals, classical hymns, and current R&B hits. The Choir was created to serve as a fraternity for young men with a goal of preventing them from indulging in delinquent behavior and becoming middle and high school dropouts. Song and music are used to motivate the young men towards personal success and inner strength.

During practices, Lee finds time to instill mentoring, discipline and hope in the boys. Lee says, "We wanted them to see that you can get attention in positive ways. We wanted to just emphasize a few things that form the core of a successful person: Respect yourself, respect your parents, respect your peers, and believe in your abilities and no excuses." With the Choir motto "No Excuses," the emphasis is placed on self-improvement and personal responsibility. Choir practice and study sessions are held three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. After the school day ends on these days, the boys in the choir go to Rickards High School to begin practice. Before music rehearsals there are mandatory study halls and group meetings which emphasize good academic performance and personal development. After two hours of study hall, the boys begin two hours of singing practice. As a result of involvement with the Choir, many of the boys have improved academic performance and have achieved academic honor rolls at the various schools they attend.

The Choir is open to students from all over Leon County, however, it was primarily designed to attract the attention and interest of "at-risk" youth ages 12-18 from Tallahassee’s Southside. Lee explains the difference between the Choir and a regular chorus, "The ordinary chorus, you go in and practice and do your concerts. This is more like a fraternity. They talk about social issues. They look forward to traveling. They go bowling and skating together. They’re a group of guys looking for something to belong to. It’s like they had an unlit candle. We have found something to light that candle."

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.

Job Hunting

Ready for that job in the Juvenile Justice field? When you have completed your core courses and internship, come by the Program office and talk with the staff about what you want to do and where you want to go. We will gladly help you with your resume and put you in touch with potential employers.

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.  

OUR MISSION

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.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

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. Bi-weekly meetings for interns provide a forum for exchange of ideas and discussion of internship experiences as well as an opportunity to develop relationships with others committed to the field of juvenile justice.

THE INTERNSHIP

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.

TO QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM

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.