Erick Got His Assignment!

And it's a GOOD one! So we already knew he was going to Juvenile Hall. And while 2-3 times a month he'll be in charge of the ENTIRE Juvenile Hall, he will primarily be assigned to one unit. The units are broken up by male or female, hard-core criminals, those who are serving short sentences, those who are being held until they're transferred to the other institutions, etc. So it's kind of a big deal to see which unit you get.

We were surprised, proud and excited with the unit they gave him. It's called Unit Quebec (or Unit Q) and it's a girls unit. The noteworthy thing about this unit is it's also known as the "media frenzy" unit. A couple of months ago they implemented a program called "Mission Possible" and it's designed to teach these girls the basic skills that they have no concept of because of poor upbringing or lack of education or just because they're too involved in their own life of crime to have given these things the time of day. The program wants to empower these young girls to become strong, smart and bold. They teach the girls all sorts of skills (hygiene, cooking, the arts, etiquette, etc.) in addition to the on-site school they attend, which makes them realize that they are capable of being something other than a criminal. So many young woman adopt a lifestyle because it's all they know and all that they think they are worth. The Mission Possible program shows them that they ARE more than that and they can be anything they want to be. CBS recently did a story on it (click here for the article and news video) and according to his boss, the unit is still of high interest to the media because it's unique and unusual. Honestly, they picked the PERFECT person for the job when they chose Erick. Young girls do need a positive male influence in their lives. Erick read What a Difference a Daddy Makes and he has a very clear understanding of the vital role that a male influence plays in a young woman's life. Many of these girls are just looking for male approval. Erick understands the importance of empowering, encouraging and lifting up these young girls. He knows how to effectively counsel and discipline while still making his approval attainable. And because this is a high-profile unit, they chose someone who is very well-spoken and will be a fabulous representative of the county should the media ever interview him.

I am really excited that this is the unit he was assigned. I think it's gonna be so interesting to hear about the different aspects of the program. Because Erick has 2 daughters himself, I know that it will be a challenge for him as he sees these young girls who have been through hell and back. But I can't think of anyone more perfect for the job. He is excellent at counseling young men, as are many of the male staff. But it is a rare and gifted man who can be an exceptional, appropriate and intuitive counselor for young women. Erick is just that man!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Well I have a good night planned and I'm gonna get started. Erick just picked up Yardhouse for dinner for us. I'm having the {mac & cheese}2 and the Macadamia Nut Cheesecake. OMG soooo delicious. And I just got The Great Gatsby from Netflix which I'm looking forward to. And depending how I feel I will either scrap with a new template from the Powers Sisters (coming to Scrapartist tomorrow!) or else I'll curl up with my excellent book Midwives (I'm so addicted to this book.) I've been feeling kind of bleck lately, getting headaches and just feeling generally bleck. So we'll see. Night!!