Juvenile court celebrates Youth Empowerment Program

PORT CLINTON — A program through Ottawa County's juvenile court is fostering positive behavioral changes in children who come through the court system. Those representing the juvenile court spoke about the success its Youth Empowerment Program occurring this past summer. The program targets youth on probation or diversion and offers a holistic approach to develop essential skills, enhance educational experiences and foster effective coping mechanisms, according to a release from the court. "We aimed to take advantage of the historic gaps that youths face especially during the summertime when school is not in session including appropriate supervision, positive social activities and diversion terms," Ottawa County juvenile probation officer Mike Reynolds said. "We hope to continue and expand the program moving forward." Throughout this summer, program participants have dedicated more than 350 hours to community service across Ottawa County. Ashley Walterbusch, of the Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center, emphasized the impact of juvenile court participation in the Summer Foods Service program. "With their help, we were able to pack roughly 3,750 meal bags," Walterbusch said. "This helped provide roughly 52,500 meals in Ottawa County and the surrounding areas." Beyond community service, the program underscores the importance of health, wellness and personal development through a variety of activities which include participation in: • CrossFit • Unity counseling • Ohio State University Extension • Ottawa County Community Improvement Corporation • Drug awareness programming • Catawba Island Club Youth program impacts community The Ottawa County Youth Empowerment Program is an integral part of the court's broader mission to support the holistic development of court-involved youth by partnering with community organizations and offering a wide range of activities, the release states. The program worked closely with Mike Libben at the Ottawa County Senior Fair Board. The court program helped keep the fairgrounds clean during this year's Ottawa County Fair by picking up loose trash and cleaning up under the grandstands. "The time they spent took a great burden away from the fair board and allowed us to focus on other aspects of getting the fair rolling each day," Libben said. People can contact the Ottawa County Juvenile Court by calling 419-734-6840 for more information on the Ottawa County Youth Empowerment Program.