By Fred Jedder
Note: This a pseudonym in order to protect the student
It was a very ugly, gloomy, cold morning when I awoke in a very old, empty, dark room.
I had forgot that I was in juvenile hall. Reality hit me fast and hard, I was stuck in a situation where I had no control over. I had messed up bad, and had to get held accountable for my actions.
About 3 months back I was attending Kennedy high school in Fremont, California. I was a freshman at this point, and I was not getting good grades, not paying attention in class, fighting, getting suspended for possession of illegal substances. Basically, I was an off task student, but I loved sports so much. I tried out for the football team and made it, but only got to play two games because of grades.
Now I’m stuck in unit 5 in San Leandro, California, facing assault with deadly weapon, robbery, breaking and entering, and vandalism cases. And juvenile hall sucks, you have no choice but to fight. The staff in there damn near pull out their phones to record while pepper spraying your face. There was about 30 juvenile delinquents, and only 3 staff at max.
After about 6 months I was found guilty and got prosecuted. I got sentenced to 2 years at an at risk facility for youth. First I got sent to a “group home”, or “placement”, in Santa Rosa, CA. I was there for about 10 months then got kicked out for trying to run away several times. This place was in the Santa Rosa hills in the middle of nowhere, literally.
Now I am back in juvenile hall regretting trying to run away. When I went to court the judge had made his decision to send me to an out of state group home because I was at risk of running away if I were too close to home. I was getting interviewed for placements in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Nevada.
I blew the Pennsylvania and Michigan interviews because they were way too far away from home. I got accepted for the Nevada placement called Rite Of Passage. ROP is in Minden, Nevada. It was a level 14 placement, which means it is hands on. If you fight or act up they can basically restrain you. They had a special move called a taco, basically you are on your butt and the staff have your hands behind your back but in the air, and your head in between your legs, forehead touching the ground. It hurt so bad.
I got to the program and I had a negative attitude towards it. So of course I messed up a couple of times, but never ran away from Nevada because I knew I would just go back to jail.
While being at the program I learned a lot, and experienced a lot. I got to do a lot: I got to wrestle for a high school, to bike from Nevada to Utah, to play in a football team. I was there for 1 year and 2 months, and finally earned my way out the program. The court noticed my improvement and finally decided I was ready to go home.
Now I am home after a long ride, and doing better than ever. I had court about a week ago, and the judge told me I can get off probation on July 11, which is 3 days before my birthday.
I just started going to Logan and man it is a big school. But the change is not that bad, I got accustomed to Logan already. I got really good at meeting people after what I went through.
I am planning to wrestle another year because last season I made it to regionals, but the kids had way more experience than me, and to this day I am hungry for that state championship. I hope you guys liked my story.
