Kids as Motivators

I attended a dinner a couple of nights ago held in celebration of volunteers and contributors to the Ridgeview Youth Services Center, a model program designed to treat young boys who have been sentenced by the courts to the Division of Youth Corrections (DYC) for serious crimes they committed. DYC is a wonderful Colorado state agency which oversees both state-run and privately-run (e.g. Ridgeview) programs for kids in trouble with the law. It was great to see several staff with whom I'd worked during my time as Director of Research for DYC. One of the speakers at the dinner was a former Ridgeview client who is soon to become a teacher. There are many similar success stories for kids whom, by the time they reach Ridgeview, many have given up on. A couple of years ago, a former work cohort and I partnered to teach a one-day class on life skills at Ridgeview through the Junior Achievement Program. It was a fabulous experience. The kids were respectful, attentive and eager to learn. We ate lunch in the cafeteria and listened while kids talked about the books they were reading. Their excitement was contagious and I could hardly wait to get home and work on my novel. There's nothing more motivating than the enthusiasm of kids, especially kids who are finally finding their way in a world that has been wrought with problems and heartbreak.