(TJJD) Youth Handbook - Texas Juvenile Justice Department

Career and Technology Courses - Earning an Industry CertificationMany youth enjoy taking Career and Technology courses. These classes giveyou hands-on experience like welding, cabinetry, home construction, automechanics, auto paint and body repair, horticulture, safe food handling, computerprogramming, and many others. Not only can some of these classes counttoward your high school diploma, many also give you a chance to earn anindustry certification. One TJJD graduate, who earned an advanced weldingcertification in TJJD, made more than $80,000 a year at a welding job in Houstonwhen he went back home. Different TJJD facilities offer different programs andthe agency is adding more every year.Taking College Courses at TJJDTJJD offers dual credit college courses at its secure facilities so you can earnhigh school credit and college credit at the same time for the same class. Youcan also take some college credits as correspondence courses in the mail. Thisgives you a head start on earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.AthleticsYouth who do well in school andtreatment can play sports atTJJD. If you meet therequirements to do off-campusactivities, you might even play ingames away from your facility.The Giddings and GainesvilleState Schools are part of theTexas Association of Private andParochial Schools, or TAPPS,league for football, basketball,and track. Other TJJD schoolshave baseball, weightlifting, andsoftball in local leagues. Checkwith your school principal orrecreation director to find outwhat sports are available at yourcampus.LOOKING AHEADTAKING RESPONSIBILITY & DEFINING YOUR FUTURE37