“I’m always excited to get the chance to impact one life which can then go on and positively impact other lives. I truly love my job and the opportunity that gets presented to me each and every day.”

“My first year in high school is when I decided. I had always wanted to work with at-risk youth, and aspire follow what Fredrick Douglas once said, ‘It’s easier to build strong children than to repair adult men.’ I’ve been here for 13 years now and it’s a sentiment that I live by.”

“It’s ever-evolving. I see the ‘old, good stuff’ being combined with the latest information and research to more effectively impact the kids we work with."

“It’s been Clara Kirk. At the end of an interview for a case manager, she decided I was better suited to be a supervisor. She paved my way to become a leader. Also, Keisha Isaacs – in everything she does, she’s about training and helping me grow. Lastly, my Superintendent here, Leonard Dixon. He believes in his staff and trusts our decisions. As long as there are no, ‘bonehead decisions’, as he says, he will always support us.”

“Understanding that with this being an ever-evolving field, be open to change and approaching it with a positive attitude. The way you look at a situation is so key. If you look at things with a life-learner attitude, you can do great things.”

“I remember we had a young lady who was an automatic transfer to the adult prison system. She used to be a terror in the unit, with both other youth and staff. Prior to her transfer, she was sent into my center(unit) program with the boys. Of course, hygiene and sleeping arrangements were with other girls.

We treated her respectfully and after going to adult system, she wrote a letter to me and my staff thanking us for treating her fairly and not letting her ability to get in her own way impact us. She told us she hadn’t had positive, adult interactions before her time with us.”

“My mantra is we are here because of the kids. Without them, there is no us. We’re here to serve them. Personal opinions don’t matter. Understand that without them, there is no us.”

“Right now, we’re so desperate to get bodies working that we’ve lost the ability to hire the best people who’ll do the best job. I think it’s our duty to have the right people in place to provide young people with positive, consistent people. Quality over quantity. We need to make sure we hire those who want to be here versus those who just need a job.”

“I love being with my family, traveling and seeing new places, and shopping (laughs) but I have to stop that one because I’m running out of space (more laughter). But family time is the best time.”