For the Drug-Free All Star January meeting, the All Stars visited the City of Lufkin’s Teen Court to see how the court functions to prevent juvenile repeat offenders and recognize lessons learned through the judicial process. The Drug-Free All Stars of Angelina County are a group of high school seniors who serve as role models for the community by living an alcohol, tobacco, and drug-free life. The Drug-Free All Star program, in partnership with TxDOT, aims to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths on Texas roadways. Teen Court was launched to give juveniles with Class-C misdemeanors a chance for accountability and redemption. The Drug-Free All Stars heard from volunteer Teen Court Judge Kristi Skillern about why Teen Court exists and how the program benefits student volunteers and participants. Throughout the hearings in the cases, students saw how small mistakes can lead to major consequences. The Coalition, Inc. expresses thanks to Kristi Skillern, City of Lufkin Attorney and Teen Court Judge; Nancy Zamarripa, Teen Court Coordinator; and Teen Court youth volunteers and participants. The Drug-Free All Stars appreciated seeing how Teen Court works to improve the choices of teens in our community.
Since 1988, The Coalition has focused on eliminating harmful substances by affecting public policy, laws, attitudes, and behaviors to foster healthy life-long choices for the local community. For more information about the Drug-Free All-Star program, contact Abby Baker at The Coalition at 936-634-9308.
