On a pleasant Friday afternoon in May, six students graduated from Bend’s J Bar J Youth Services. Their accomplishment was celebrated by roughly 50 people: other youth, family, educators, parole officers, staff from OYA’s Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations, and more.

In her remarks, language arts teacher Jade reminded the graduates that, “no matter what path brought you here, nobody can take this accomplishment from you.”

We caught up with one student, Juan, to explore the path that brought him to that stage.

Juan’s OYA path began at age 15, spending three months in juvenile detention before his commitment to MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility. According to his parole officer, Miguel Herrera, Juan arrived wide-eyed but quickly stood out for his focus and accountability. He maintained an exemplary record with zero incident reports during his entire stay at MacLaren.

While other youth might get sidetracked by interpersonal conflicts, Juan stayed grounded. He volunteered for daily tasks like kitchen and laundry duties, and wherever he was, “they all say, ‘Wow, your kid is great to work with,’” Herrera said. “This guy is a hard worker. He always has a positive attitude.”

Juan’s excellent behavior accelerated his transition to a less-restrictive setting: the residential program at J Bar J. Arriving with limited English, Juan found himself navigating the new environment while trying to complete high school coursework. At graduation, his language arts educator reflected that she could “only imagine how incredibly uncomfortable and overwhelming that must have felt.”

Educators noted Juan’s persistence. He continued to show up every day, asked for help, and kept going. He worked with both J Bar J and the school’s bilingual staff members, completing his work and progressing toward graduation. “He really strives,” Herrera observed. “In fact, he loves school.”

During his time in custody, Juan also discovered a love for writing music, quietly constructing lyrics to go with premade beats he could find online. He aspired to a career in music and, at graduation, staff played a song he wrote to express his journey.

His lyrics, translated from Spanish, share a message of resilience:

I have fallen, I have been knocked down,
And I have never stayed on the ground…
Jail is something that can teach you,
That if you go through it, you can change,
And a new life, you can start,
To be able to help all people…

Audio Player

00:00
00:00

Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.
Juan explained that he writes about his experiences so others can learn from them. During his time with OYA, Juan believes he’s, “learned that I can change for the better. Now I feel like a new person with a new life.”

Throughout, family has remained Juan’s primary motivation to change. While his family could not attend, J Bar J staff Facetimed them so they would be able to watch Juan receive his diploma. His song included a personal message to his mother reminding her or his promise to make her happy on graduation day.

Juan sought his degree because it would give him “more opportunities to follow my goals and dreams.” With his high school credentials secured, Juan plans to begin a stable career while developing his musical talents. He looks toward his next steps with a clear sense of purpose, focusing on the expanded horizons of his “new life, and a new beginning.”