Juvenile delinquency and poor academic performance often go hand in hand. It stands to reason, then, that student jurors and judges in the Teen Court transformative justice program would require that an offending minor maintain or improve his or her grades as part of their conditions of diversion. And that’s where PESA’s tutoring and mentoring program comes in. After all, good grades aren’t going to just achieve themselves.
“We know that when kids focus on academics, in the short term it can help them stay out of trouble, and in the long term, it’s going to make them better community members and help with career prospects,” says PESA Director of Youth Services Araksya Nordikyan. The CBO’s growing team of tutors and mentors helps those kids help themselves. And in addition to diverted youth, the service is made available to any student in need: PESA tutors students at Northridge Academy High School, Challenger Middle School, Vista San Gabriel Elementary School, San Fernando High School and El Nido family center in downtown Los Angeles, to name just a few. During the most recent academic period, PESA had some 75 tutors working with more than 200 students.
PESA tutor Andrea Barajas, one of the newest members of the Teen Court Alumni Association who recently graduated from Warren High School, was assigned her very first student less than one month before the end of the school year. Middle schooler Gabriella (not her real name), like many students, had been struggling with the switch to online learning due to the pandemic and had issues with motivation as a result. After hearing Gabriella’s concern that there may be no hope of raising her grades in the remaining time, Barajas encouraged her, saying if a student is eager to meet a goal, “I will make sure it happens,” which is exactly what she did. In just their first session, they completed six assignments, resulting in Gabriella coming back to their next session with some big news: Because she completed the missing work, she saw a 6% increase in her math grade. Barajas and Gabriella continued meeting three times a week, every week, prompting improvements in Gabriella’s history grades and ultimately leading to her passing both courses by the end of the school year!
Upon learning that Gabriella had aspirations of attending law school, Barajas (herself an aspiring lawyer) offered advice on what she needs to do to be successful, encouraging her to keep going and stay motivated, and reminded Gabriella that she is always available to offer a helping hand anytime she needs it.
It’s that kind of commitment that has made this program a success. In addition to academic tutoring, PESA’s mentoring services pair working professionals with young people. In the case of Teen Court diverted youth, Nordikyan says it’s critical to identify an interest or passion within the youth, and then pair them up with a mentor who has similar interests and skills. “We’ve arranged for kids with musical interests to work with a record producer. We’ve connected kids interested in athletics with coaches and coaching opportunities.
“It’s easy to empower someone,” says Nordikyan, “provided you have the right motivation.” ■
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