As the Role Model Program Mentoring Project enters the third month of the fall semester, the response to the project has been tremendous. At Belle Vue Middle School, there are currently over 40 mentors, each having a Belle Vue student as their mentee. The mentors and mentees have been meeting on a weekly basis since September, which has provided them 2 months to get to know each other. Now the mentors and mentees will have the opportunity to attend several cultural events at FSU and within the Tallahassee community.

The events are intended to be a fun activity that will facilitate additional opportunities for the mentors and mentees to get to know each other outside of the Belle Vue campus. For the fall semester there are six events the mentors and mentees have the opportunity to participate in. It is hoped that they will be able to attend at least two or three events together to further develop their companionship. The cost for tickets and transportation to all the events is fully funded by the Mentoring Project.

The variety of events offered provides the mentors and mentees with several options to choose from. Whether mentees are sports fans or enjoy musical performances, there is an event to suit everyone’s preference. A variety is also offered to encourage the mentors and mentees to attend an event they normally would not attend. Cultural diversity is an important concept that the Mentoring Project emphasizes and

the events are tools to develop diversity in the mentors and the mentees. It is hoped that attendance at these events will help form a bond between the mentors and their mentees that will last well into the next semester. Whichever events the mentors and mentees choose to attend, it will undoubtedly be a fun and educational experience for both parties.

Following is a list of the events that the Mentoring Project will sponsor:

Friday, November 13, 1998 7:00PM Florida State University Men’s Basketball

FSU vs. Sam Houston State Univ. Monday November 16, 1998 8:00PM

Florida State University School of Music: "World Music" Friday, November 20, 1998

Florida State University Swimming and Diving Competition FSU vs. University of Florida Sunday, November 22, 1998 2:00PM

Florida State University Opera "Mozart’s Don Giovanni" Tuesday, December 1, 1998 10:00A.M.

San Luis Mission Tour Friday, December 4,1998 10:00A.M. FSU Planetarium

Meet Ms. Lela Keels: New Role Model Program Coordinator

When visiting or calling the Role Model Program office, a new face and voice will greet you. Beginning on November 1, 1998, Ms. Lela Keels assumed the position of Coordinator of the Role Model Program. Possessing an impressive work history in juvenile justice, Ms. Keels embraces the challenge of further developing the Role Model Program for the future. "I am excited to gain an opportunity to work with this unique program that counsels and provides young people with a focus and direction within the juvenile justice system. I am eager to begin making a impact on the students’ lives."

Ms. Keels has an extensive work history in the criminal and juvenile justice system. She received her bachelors degree in Counseling and Delinquent Rehabilitation from Cornell University in New York and received her MA and A.B.D. in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University in New Jersey. Prior to accepting the position as program coordinator, Lela served as the chief of staff for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in Trenton, NJ. Additionally, from 1985-1992, Ms. Keels was the coordinator of the New Jersey Criminal Disposition Commission in Newark, NJ.

As coordinator of the Role Model Program, Ms. Keels will assume several areas of responsibility including personnel management, budgetary issues, facilitation of internship sites, and overall management of the program. However, there are two specific areas in which she feels deserve special attention, the assessment and recruitment components of the program. "I will focus on the assessment and evaluation of the program to determine the effect it is having on the students. It is important to evaluate the program success to determine what we are doing right and what can be improved. Additionally, I will implement an intensive recruitment effort that will attempt to dramatically increase the number of students in the program. The more students we have in the program, the greater impact we will make."

As the fall semester winds down and the 1999 spring semester approaches, the Role Model Program has a new coordinator that will lead it into the future. With the experience and vision that Ms. Lela Keels possesses, it is evident that the future of the program will continue to improve. "As the new coordinator, I look forward to bringing the Role Model Program to the next level and shaping a program other universities will want to emulate."

Spring Internship Deadline: November 30, 1998

Role Model students who plan to intern during the Spring semester must complete applications by November 30, 1998. This is the final deadline. 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.  

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.