PHOENIX — Dozens of Maricopa County teens living inside detention have started their college careers in the years since a partnership brought Arizona State University courses to juvenile corrections.
ABC15 is following up nearly two years after the "ASU room” opened up at the Durango Juvenile Detention Center. It’s a partnership between the university, Maricopa County Juvenile Probation and the Maricopa County School Superintendent.
Since late 2024, 60 youth in detention have earned college credit and a total of 223 courses have been converted to college credit.
"Education could be the basis of whether or not you succeed in life,” one student, who is almost finished with a full year of college credits, said. "When I first got here, you know, I just decided that I need to take accountability and turn a bad situation to a good one.”
Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you!
Connect with us: share@abc15.com
Durango Education Center School Principal Michael Labrecque said the average GPA in the college partnership is around 3.5.
“They start to make plans for themselves when they leave of what they will do,” Labrecque said. “It also opens up motivation for those that aren't here yet. That it gives them something to work for.
Mark Eastin, community and culture manager within Maricopa County Juvenile Detention, said the center is focused on celebrating education in detention.
"Those achievements are important because a lot of this population hasn't had that achievement within their life,” Eastin said. "Every kid has an opportunity to walk in this room and that's the way we treat them all.”
Eastin said the detention facility plans to add a trades education partnership in the new year.
Want more news in your community? Add ABC15 as a preferred source on Google below:
