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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, September 18, 2003

ISLAND VOICES
There's still hope behind the walls

Trancita Winquist teaches at the Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility.
By Trancita Winquist

Nestled along one of the most beautiful mountain ranges on the island of O'ahu is a community where much of the surrounding beauty goes unnoticed. The Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility is located near the base of this majestic mountain range, and contained in its walls is the secured custody section of Olomana School. Olomana School has operated within the facility for over 20 years.

I have been fortunate to be part of a wonderful team of professionals who work with this population of incarcerated youth. These educators truly believe that within every youth there lies hope.

Along with a list of legal offenses these students bring, they enter school with varied personal and family issues. One pervasive element is that of abuse. Every year we see a growing number of these cases of abuse and abandonment.

For those who come from intact families and who were never abused, their situation is still discouraging. These youth come from placatory parents who have given them unmonitored freedom and no form of responsibility. Many of these students lack the ability to delay gratification and do not have goal-setting or basic social coping skills.

Another stumbling block is the low reading comprehension and mathematic skills these students possess. For some, their deficits may be attributed to the lack of early reading interventions. For others, they are the products of drug exposure. The starting point for teachers can be overwhelming.

One of the most difficult aspects of teaching in an incarcerated setting is the fact that the students do not conveniently enter and exit at the beginning and ending of a school year. Students are committed at various times, and, therefore, curriculum can be tricky. Lessons must be high-powered and concise. Time is crucial, so teachers need to quickly stimulate intellectual development.

Students have an option to participate in a vocational training program offered by the facility in collaboration with the school to earn a high school credit. They can also participate in a technical-education program that uses various materials in creative projects that incorporate all the major content areas.