PHOENIX — Less than a month ago, Maricopa County opened a College Classroom at its Juvenile Detention Center, offering detained youth a chance to continue their education.
The program, which is a partnership between Maricopa County Juvenile Probation, the Maricopa County School Superintendent and Arizona State University, has the goal of “transforming the lives of young people who have successfully earned their GEDs or are on track to graduate from high school while in detention.”
Education officials say the first group of eligible students is now taking online college-level courses.
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“This partnership is about more than academic achievement. It’s about showing these youth that no matter where they are today, they can build a brighter tomorrow,” Steve Watson, Maricopa County School Superintendent. “Education is the key to unlocking their full potential.”
Professor Adam Fine of the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice at Arizona State University said, “We’re not just equipping them with knowledge and skills, we’re giving them hope and the tools necessary to create a better future for themselves.”
ABC15’s Jordan Bontke has more on this new program in the video player above.
