As the school year starts, college faculty and staff return to campus to begin classes. This year in particular, with the expansion of Rising Scholars Network Juvenile Justice programs, there is more opportunity and attention being paid to how to best serve students with these specific youth justice experiences. With this need to promote best practices for supporting juvenile justice impacted students in mind, in August the student members of Youth Law Center’s Scholars In Action cohort visited Sierra College in Rocklin to present and speak to returning faculty. It was a powerful event where the YLC student leaders spoke from expertise and experience about their journeys from the juvenile justice system to higher education and to Sierra College faculty, staff, and administrators.
“I’m not defined by my past experiences, but by the future I’m creating.” – Matthew Berry, Scholar in Action, Class of 2025
“Looking back at my 17-year-old self — I was driven to start a future after having been in the juvenile justice system and also needing that guidance and support. I eventually got this by going to community college.” – Tiffany Cauyong, Scholar in Action, Class of 2025
Youth Law Center’s partnership with the California Community Colleges will continue to grow over the course of the upcoming school year. We anticipate many more opportunities for colleges to collaborate with the students in YLC’s Scholars in Action Fellowship so that these scholars can use their own experiences to support new students who are facing similar challenges, and thriving.