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Correctional facility grads forge path to brighter future

Record - 10/21/2017

Oct. 21--STOCKTON -- As he walked across the stage, Jabin Villarreal stopped fidgeting and his stoic look turned into a smile as he looked out into the crowd.

"I'm nervous to see my grandma, parents and girlfriend," the 20-year-old said. "But it feels good for (them) to see me graduate. They told me they're proud of me."

Villarreal is the valedictorian of the 2017 class at Johanna Boss High School, which is inside the O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facility in Stockton. He and 14 other young offenders graduated Friday morning.

Graduating high school is a major accomplishment for these men, said Parkside Church Pastor Clay Rojas, who was the keynote speaker at the event. Rojas served time in federal prison from 2012 to 2014.

Many of the graduates have been repeatedly told they won't amount to anything, but this accomplishment is an opportunity that they should take seriously, he said.

"Do not let your past kill your future," he told the young men. "It's possible, guys. It's possible that our life can look completely different."

A diploma is an instrument that they can use to excel or do nothing with, he said.

"When you look into that mirror (tomorrow), you will be a graduate," he said. "I want you to see value."

More than 50,000 people younger than 21 are in juvenile justice facilities across the U.S. on any given day, according to the U.S. Department of Education. It is in the interest of every community to help them graduate from high school and build the skills they need to find a job and become productive citizens, because successful services can increase the likelihood that youth offenders will graduate from high school and reduce recidivism, the department stated.

As the men walked toward the ceremony site, several of them took a second to catch a glimpse of their reflections in the windows of the guard's office, while others held on to their wind-whipped tassels.

"It's a big deal for them," said Larry Hammond, a social science, history and government teacher at Johanna Boss High School. "For most of these kids, school was never a priority, and once graduated, they have earned a big step in their life."

Hammond said that he, however, also reminds the young men that high school is not the end of their education but the foundation, and he encourages them to continue learning.

Javon Sullivan, 19, has already envisioned his future. He wants to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C., to study political science. Friday was another step toward his goal.

"I'm proud of myself for (graduating)," he said.

It was important for Sullivan to complete high school because not many people in his family have, he said. His mother wanted to see him reach this milestone and he wanted to do this for her.

"Even with these circumstances, she wanted me to come out with a diploma," he said.

In his valedictorian speech, Villarreal thanked his parents, Richard and Diana Villarreal, who drove from the Fresno area to be there, and the staff who helped him and his classmates.

It means a lot to stand in front of everyone to celebrate the hard work that was put into school, he said. And they didn't just learn academic lessons, but life skills they can use in the future, he added.

"It takes a lot of strength and courage to change our lives, and today we have achieved a major goal," Villarreal said. "And that is to graduate from high school."

Contact reporter Almendra Carpizo at (209) 546-8264 or acarpizo@recordnet.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlmendraCarpizo.

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