By David Krough, TJJD Communications
Juvenile Correctional Officer Brandon Thibodeaux started working at Giddings State School in the Capital Offender dorm in 2015.
“I came to Giddings just looking for a job to make ends meet, not knowing that it would turn into a job that I enjoy coming to,” he said.
Thibodeaux credits his parents, along with his training staff Aretha Bradford and Stephanie Collins, for helping him to become a part of the great team that works there today.
“My mother has worked for multiple college financial aid departments throughout her career after serving in the Army. My father has worked for Waller County sheriff department for Lord knows how long, after serving in the Army as well. Their dedication and work ethic has inspired me to work hard and be an example for others.”
Working with the Capital Offender Group Thibodeaux said, has been his favorite part of the job so far, watching how the youth start in group(s) and go through the process, all the while learning about themselves and their peers.
“I have learned to be more patient and look for the reasons behind peoples’ behavior and not the actual behavior they present,” he said.
“A.C. was one youth I (will) never forget. He was charismatic and knew his policies to the point where I had to learn them to ensure that myself and staff members could quote them as well as he could.”
Thibodeaux said he especially enjoys the dorm during down time playing dominoes or spades along with heading outside for athletics and other games.
“My age and old bones make it hard, but it's in me to compete,” he added.
Long hours on the job can be difficult he said, if you don't know how to manage your time.
“Being a JCO is not for the weak of heart. The youth will test you mentally like every teenager does, (it’s) just that you have multiple ones doing it at once. If you can get past that, then you'll have a blast working with them and trying to lead them down a better path.”
“Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”
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Tia Morris has served as a Juvenile Correctional Officer with McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility in Mart for nearly two years.
Morris used to work in the adult system and moved to TJJD, motivated to help kids avoid becoming a part of the adult justice system.
“With kids, it's different. There's an aspect of molding that can take effect with the right people in the right environment, with the right circumstances, you might be able to just kind of … (help shape) what their mentality is of their life when they get out.”
Morris says the best part of her day in being able to what is called “depositing emotional coins,” just checking in with the kids to let them know she is available to help and listen.
She enjoys going into the dorms for playing spades and shooting hoops or playing volleyball,
“I'm able to just go around and hang out and, check in with the ones that have maybe been too quiet to make sure that their mental health is up or … talk to the ones who have been too loud and ‘like, hey … it's ok, but you’re bringing a lot of heat on yourself that you told me you don't want. Are we still watering those seeds that we planted as far as who we see yourself as compared to who we are in the everyday aspect? If you're not putting in those 1% better each day (coins) - we're not going to get to our goal.”
Morris says she explains to the youth that how we grow from hardships is what makes us better as people.
“It's OK to be angry, but it's how your anger may affect other people that matters. I find that most times when I communicate with a kid or I'm counseling with a kid, they really either just want to be heard or hugged or helped.”
Morris recalled how she helped out one of her most challenging students after a confrontation where she just asked the girl to come outside and talk.
“About 15 minutes in, she starts crying, (she said) ‘I want to be who I see myself as, but it doesn't match up with the environment that I'm in.’ I just told her the calmest place to find yourself is going to be the same way it is in a tornado. It's going to be in the eye of that storm and everything around you is going to seem like it's spinning … in a complete disarray and it's, it seems like you can't hold on to it. But if you find a sense of peace within yourself, nothing here will matter because it's all temporary, you're either going to make it or break it.”
“And regardless of how it goes, I need you to understand like it's your choice. These are your stories and only you have to live with your choices and your actions.”
That student ended up earning her GED and was released just a few months later and it was clear, Morris said, that her teachers and other staff had seen remarkable and positive changes in that time.
“I may not be able to reach every kid but reaching that one can reach another. It only takes one, to change a nation and sometimes that one can be that kid that I met, nine months ago. Or it could be the kids you meet tomorrow. It's worth it, the bad days and the good days. We’re not just changing lives, we’re paving ways to better futures.”
