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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 31, 2008

For more information:
Bob Edwards
Public Relations Department Assistant
����ֱ�� State College
����ֱ��, West Virginia
(304) 462-7361x7610

����ֱ��, WV—The first juvenile correction officer training academy class held graduation ceremonies at ����ֱ�� State College on Friday, March 28th. The ceremony signaled the completion of the first training academy under the new agreement between the West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services and ����ֱ�� State College.

Twenty cadets from juvenile correction facilities around the state comprised the first graduates of the 21st Basic Academy. Among the graduates is Elizabeth Moore of Mt. Nebo in Nicholas County, a December 2007 graduate of ����ֱ�� State College. Moore earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Criminal Justice. She is a Correctional Officer and Youth Specialist at the Gene Spadaro Juvenile Center in Mount Hope, West Virginia. “The 21st Basic Academy has helped retrain me to be a better corrections officer. Working with the youths has been more difficult than I expected, but I feel that the training at the academy will help me be a better communicator,” said Moore. She was honored as the Outstanding Academic Student of the 21st Basic Training Academy.

“We are very pleased with the success of the academy. There were a few minor issues that we needed to work out, but that can be expected anytime you start something new. Overall it has been a very good experience, and we look forward to the next training academy,” said Robert Browning, Training Director for the West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services. Plans are for the WVDJS to conduct four or five training academy per year at GSC.

Dale Humphreys, Director of the WVDJS said, “We are well satisfied; this has been a good first step. We look forward to even better Academies in the future. The faculty and staff at ����ֱ�� State College are very professional and have worked extremely hard to ensure that this program will be successful. This is a great partnership.”

The next Juvenile Training Academy in tentatively scheduled for the fall.