It was a week to celebrate academic achievement at DJJ as a total of 115 diplomas and post-secondary coursework certificates were presented to Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center residents at Yvonne B. Miller High School commencement exercises. Family, friends and DJJ staff filled the room to join the residents in acknowledging their accomplishment. Thirty-two residents received a Virginia diploma; 14 received Penn Foster diplomas for completing an equivalent on-line high school curriculum, and 18 earned General Education Development (GED) diplomas. Fifty residents took advantage of DJJ’s recently-implemented post-secondary offerings, earning certificates or credentials in skills such as barbering and cosmetology, manufacturing skills, dog training and first aid/CPR. Some youth earned college credits for completed coursework. Keynote speakers Reginald Dwayne Betts, a poet, memoirist, and author of three books, and Carlos Hopkins, Special Counsel to Gov. Terry McAuliffe, delivered words of inspiration to the graduates. “By remaining faithful to the five stated goals of our Education Unit’s Strategic Plan, we have targeted the specific needs of the youth we serve,” said DJJ Director Andy Block. “This is a major accomplishment for our residents, and we congratulate them for their hard work and perseverance. We also thank the dedicated and talented education professionals under the direction of Dr. Lisa Floyd who are enthusiastic and passionate about improving the lives of youth in our care.”
