Muskie Fellow’s Project Gives Incarcerated Youth a Second Chance

Youth who are incarcerated are more likely to be incarcerated as adults.* Hoping to break the cycle, Muskie fellow Anna Andrianova teamed up with members of the West Texas A&M University Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) chapter to provide a positive influence and training in valuable life skills for youth at a local correctional facility.

Over the past five months, Anna and her fellow volunteers have built a relationship with youth at the facility, conducting sessions once or twice monthly on personal finance, teamwork, communication and leadership skills. “Every time we came to the facility, the children were excited about seeing us and remembered material from the previous trainings,” Anna said. “Some of them reported that their mood was good all day because they knew that [West Texas A&M] students were coming that day. In the feedback, children wrote that they are filled with excitement to put the skills they were taught into practice.”

Anna had volunteered with homeless youth in her native Russia, but wasn’t sure what to expect before starting her Muskie community service project with SIFE. “I was scared to see these kids who had violated the law,” she shared. “Some of them committed serious crimes, like sexual offenses. But when we came out there I found these were kids who were seeking for attention. Of course they will try to manipulate you to get what they want…but if you look past that, one can find people who got lost on their way and desperately need help and guidance.”

Anna will return to Russia to work in consulting or marketing management after receiving her MBA this May and plans to continue her service with at-risk youth in Moscow. “The trainings encouraged me as well and helped me to see what I have achieved and how many people I am capable of helping,” she said.

*Source: “What Incarcerated Youth Say Would Help Them Succeed: Can Extension Play a Role?” Journal of Extension, August 2002