Community Event Page

OJA ART EXHIBIT AT OKLAHOMA HISTORY CENTER

OKLAHOMA CITY –Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) has partnered with the Oklahoma Historical Center to showcase artwork produced by the youth we serve. As a part of the continuing educational programs we provide our youth at the institutions, the art class is a great opportunity for them to showcase their talents. “We have some very gifted kids and their artwork is just stunning. We are always looking for new ways to reach out to community leaders and partners for our projects. This outreach to the History Center gives our youth awareness that there is more to life than what has brought them to our care, in the first place. The therapeutic treatment and programs we provide at our institutions gives them a second chance to return to their community, along with a better education and the necessary skills to become a productive member of society,” stated Christiansen.
“I hope everyone will come and visit the display. It’s about the ‘courage to change’ that makes the difference. We believe the future of Oklahoma, is for our youth to be responsible and accountable for the decisions they make. It’s the message we teach and encourage to the youth that we serve. To help them reach their potential and continue to build Oklahoma strong for the future”.
The History Center will be displaying the artwork starting December 5, 2012 through March 1, 2013. Hours are M-Sa 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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program for Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Young offenders to learn plant life, good business practices with hands-on program at detention centers in Manitou and Tecumseh

 

Leon Murrell, left, and Brent Blue plant a garden Monday at Southwest Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Manitou.
 

“Now we're taking that same idea and we're expanding on it,” Christiansen said. “Because there was a change in the child nutrition law, the kids can now go from start to finish and really be involved in and eat the vegetables that they grew.”

Micah Anderson, with the state Agriculture Department's plasticulture program, visited the two facilities in early April and installed a drip irrigation system beneath plastic tarps tied tight over tilled earth.

Wrapping growing operations with plastic can help overcome environmental challenges like drought because the plastic helps retain moisture when it would normally evaporate, Anderson said. It also creates less water waste, he said.

“And the plastic also keeps weeds out so you don't have to do much chopping,” he said. “This will give them a little more time and control.”

Christiansen said her office also is reaching out to farmers in each area to get them involved in the program by sharing their experiences and offering their expertise.

By next year, she said, the department hopes to develop horticulture into the facilities' science curriculum.

It might also be a good fit for a marketing or small business curriculum, Christiansen said, “So that when they go back to the community, they're going back to the community and not to us.”

Most of the juveniles sentenced to Office of Juvenile Affairs are from Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas, she said, and have no experience with farms.

The mission of Run the Streets is to challenge at-risk youth to experience the benefits of goal-setting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health by providing them with a truly life changing experience; The training for and completion of a half-marathon. Click here to view the website.
 

We are offering FREE Gunlocks to the public.  

Because ...  the child you save, could be your own!

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