A program in a Texas juvenile justice center allows young men to improve their lives through classical music.
For five years, non-profit Austin Classical Guitar has partnered with Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center to teach residents classical guitar and provide them with a way to graduate high school by earning fine arts credits.
Teacher Jeremy Osborne said he felt slightly intimidated when he walked into the juvenile justice center, with its iron gates and strict rules. But he soon found his students eager to learn and excited to have the opportunity to escape the locked doors and reality of their daily life behind bars.
The students say learning an instrument has helped them manage their emotions and gives them something to do when they are bored or angry.
The students have the opportunity to perform at least once a semester. Last May, they performed for the court-appointed special advocates of Travis County’s swearing-in ceremony and received two standing ovations.
“They played beautifully,” Osborne said. “They sounded professional and they were just completely elated with themselves.”
The students have a new-found sense of purpose thanks to the program as well.
Eighteen-year-old Peter dropped out of high school in tenth grade and never expected to graduate until he arrived at the detention center and found the guitar program. Now he plans to attend San Jacinto College to study music production this fall and said it feels good to give his mother something to feel proud about.
“Now it’s just, every time she sees me, she just smiles. I’m sure her cheeks hurt by now,” Peter said.
Warm up questions
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What is a juvenile detention center? What happens there?
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What can learning a musical instrument teach you?
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How does education improve lives?
Critical thinking questions
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Why do you think Austin Classical Guitar and Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center decided to create this partnership?
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Why does learning classical guitar help students work through anger issues?
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How could programs like the one at Gardner Betts be expanded to other juvenile justice centers?
