The Sierra-Osage Treatment Center and W.E. Sears Youth Center recently hosted their first post-COVID tour for state representatives Darrell Atchison and Hardy Billington.
The representatives got a tour of both campuses, an overview of facilities’ programs and a chance to interact with students.
W.E. Sears is the largest facility for young male offenders in the state, while Sierra-Osage is the largest girls’ facility. The two entities share a 200-acre property north of Poplar Bluff complete with a gym, ropes course, hiking trails, camping sites and climbing course. Last year the programs hosted 105 youth in total.
Both programs are part of the Division of Youth Services and are dedicated to giving young people second chances through counseling, education and support.
“They’re not bad kids, they’re great kids who made some mistakes, as all kids do, and wound up with us through the court system,” said Curtis Vaughn, assistant regional administrator.
Counseling includes meeting with advocates, bringing in relatives for family counseling sessions and group counseling with other students in the program. Vaughn is regularly amazed at the strength he sees youth exhibit by opening up about their past, traumas and choices.
“It’s hard, so these ladies and these young men are gutsy,” he said.
Sierra-Osage facility manager Bobby Baugh told the group, “We rise by lifting others...We have victims that turn into survivors, and they take that back to their communities. So hopefully, there’s cycles being broken everywhere,”
The tour was lead by three Sierra-Osage students, who guided Billington and Atchison through the living spaces — called cottages — day rooms where visits are hosted and the education department. Each one had discovered new things about themselves and how to go about life during their time so far. One girl said her teachers helped her realize a love of history she never knew she had. Other girls found passions for math, gardening, journaling and crochet, as well as learning key foundational skills like communication and coping with grief.
“If you didn’t have coping skills, you’ll definitely have them when you leave,” one student said.
Students at Sierra-Osage and Sears take high school classes while there. Some are seniors working toward their diploma or HiSET.
Students arrive at different learning levels, but staff meet them where they are and help bring them up to their age level. One of the student tour guides arrived two grade levels behind, said Baugh, but in a matter of weeks had already made up a year of study.
Each classroom has two teachers and up to 12 students.
Teacher Victoria Hadley believed there were many differences between public school and Sierra-Osage.
“I feel like DYS is set up more for the success of the kids and public school is more for the system,” she said.
After four to six months on campus, youth return home — sometimes to difficult situations, Baugh said. This is why they spend an additional six to nine months in the facilities’ after care programs.
According to service coordinator supervisor Quentin Morrow, “After care is our program for when they leave here. We follow them into the community and make sure they have the resources to be successful.”
About 170 students are in after care right now, which includes counseling, substance use specialists and any other resources they need.
What touches Baugh most is when former students call up their favorite staff members just to catch up.
“It’s not uncommon for us to get phone calls from kids who just want to hear a voice and talk,” he said.
Students move on into all avenues of life. Some take the life lessons they learned and return to Sierra-Osage and Sears to give them back to other youth.
“When you make it to the other side, the strength you have will be amazing, you can move mountains,” said Baugh. “But you have to get to the other side first or else you’ll always be going uphill.”
More information about Sierra-Osage can be found by calling 573-840-9717, and more information about Sears is available by calling 573-840-9280.
Editor's note - To protect their privacy, the faces of students aren't shown and their names are not used.
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