Career and technical education opens doors for youth at Mart and across TJJD

By TJJD Communications —

Every youth has potential. In a typical setting, that potential may be easy to see. In juvenile justice, it can take someone willing to look beyond the mistakes a youth has made or the circumstances they have faced and believe in what they can become. 

At the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), we see that potential every day. Education is one of the most powerful tools we can provide because it can open doors, build confidence, and create opportunities that may have once seemed out of reach. 

For some youth, that means earning a high school diploma. For others, it may mean earning a GED, recovering credits or completing vocational certifications. The goal is not one-size-fits-all. It is about helping each student find a path that meets their individualized needs and moves them toward a future they can build for themselves. That work begins with understanding where each youth comes from and what they need to move forward. 

Understanding the Youth We Serve 

The youth who come into TJJD have a unique blend of experiences and challenges that have led them into our custody. Those experiences create a need for individualized paths forward, with education playing an important role in helping youth change the direction of their lives. 

Many youth arriving at TJJD have experienced significant disruptions in their education. On average, youth in our care are seven grade levels behind academically, and 80% have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience. Others have struggled to find an educational environment where they felt successful or connected, including youth whose learning disabilities have made traditional settings challenging. 

These experiences can affect a youth’s academic progress, their connection to school and, ultimately, their ability to envision a different future. That is why TJJD’s approach goes beyond traditional academics. Education and career development are important parts of implementing the Texas Model and helping youth build the skills, confidence and support they need to move forward. 

Our education model focuses on meeting each student where they are and helping them outline a clear path and plan forward. With individualized support, dedicated educators and opportunities to learn in ways that connect to their interests and goals, youth can make significant academic and vocational progress. 

Education and Career Training at TJJD 

Lone Star School District (LSSD) serves 5 schools associated with each of TJJD’s facilities. LSSD provides traditional graduation plans to all students in a small classroom setting with a 1 teacher to 8 student ratio. These classes are taught by certified teachers with small classroom sizes that allow teachers to focus on each student’s individual needs.  

In addition to traditional education pathways, LSSD schools provide Career and Technical Education (CTE) options taught by certified teachers and industry professionals. Classes include Animal Science, Agriculture and Ag Mechanics, Auto Body and Mechanics, Career Exploration, Construction, Culinary, Digital Design, General Employability Skills, Horticulture, Technology, and Welding that provide hands on instruction in current industry practices. CTE classes provide career focused instruction that develops technical knowledge, employability skills, and industry recognized credentials. Students are provided options to earn certificates such as NCCER, OSHA 10, Food Handlers, Texas Nursery Landscape, and Forklift to name a few. These programs support TJJD’s mission of preparing students for success by teaching them workforce skills that increase opportunities for employment, continued education, and long-term self-sufficiency. 

In addition to technical training, TJJD emphasizes the development of foundational workplace skills, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, professionalism, and workplace readiness. Workforce preparation begins during Orientation & Assessment and continues throughout a student’s educational placement during their sentence.  

However, education and career training are only part of the equation. Helping youth reach those goals requires an entire team working together. 

Supporting Youth Through Graduation 

Achieving the goals we set out with youth is not an individual process. It requires the support of everyone, from administrative staff on campus to the Juvenile Correctional Officers (JCOs) who support the work educators put in. We recognize that reaching graduation is not a goal every youth will accomplish, but we strive to give each student every opportunity to do so while providing a pathway for vocational achievement. 

Juvenile justice is a team effort, with educators, counselors, case managers, therapists, correctional officers and everyone in between supporting each youth’s journey toward the next stage of their life. 

Reaching graduation day requires encouragement, support and confidence from the people around a youth, particularly when they may not yet believe in themselves. It also requires extensive case planning, behavior mapping and individualized needs assessments to ensure we are providing the services a youth needs to meet their goals. 

Our team collects information about past credits and what it will take to reach graduation. Educators spend extra time with youth in clubs and credit recovery classes, while technical instructors help students identify potential career paths and the skills they need to get there. When all of those efforts come together, they can lead to one of the most meaningful moments for both youth and staff– graduation day. 

Celebrating the Mart Graduation 

That opportunity came to life during a recent graduation ceremony at Mart State Juvenile Correctional Facility. We were thrilled to celebrate 11 graduates, both female and male, who had dedicated themselves to completing their secondary education and were excited to move into their next chapter. 

The ceremony was a celebration of achievement, but it was also a celebration of perseverance. Behind every graduate standing in the room, there were past challenges to overcome, classes and assignments to complete, credits to recover, and people who encouraged them to keep going. On this day, those graduates had the opportunity to celebrate how far they had come. 

The pride in the room was unmistakable as Educators, JCOs, mental health professionals and staff from across the facility gathered to celebrate alongside the graduates and their families. Families watched their youth cross the stage, sending little waves back and forth as they crossed the stage and embracing each other after the ceremony.  

The ceremony was filled with speeches, poems and performances from the graduates, along with remarks from facility leadership. Mr. Michael McKenzie, Principal at Mart, shared afterward that, “Education is key. It’s their superpower because it puts them in a place where they can apply to a job, pursue education at a post-secondary level, whether it is vocational or college. Education is super important for them to have a chance in their communities.” 

Success Story Spotlight: How a trade can change a future 

A recent success story comes from youth JH, an 18-year-old student at Lone Star High School Central who earned his high school diploma in March 2026. Our educational reentry liaison at Mart, Jason Custer, recently had the privilege of accompanying this young man on a field trip to Texas State Technical College (TSTC). During the visit, they had the opportunity to tour the campus and explore several departments, including Construction Technology, Welding, Culinary Arts, and the Machine Shop, as well as the available on-campus housing facilities. 

Throughout Mr. Custer’s time working with youth JH, he demonstrated remarkable determination and focus in planning for his future. After the visit, he decided to attend TSTC, where he will pursue an Associate Degree along with his Welding Certification, both of which are expected to be completed within 18 months. While at Mart, JH achieved several notable accomplishments that will help him as he embarks on this journey. Earning his OSHA 10 General Industry Certification, AAA Food Handler’s Certification, NCCER Core Certification, 1G Welding Certification, and serving as a Campus Worker helped him develop a strong sense of responsibility, professionalism, and work ethic. 

JH has already taken several important steps toward achieving his educational goals. With the help from the team at Mart, he successfully completed his FAFSA application, and he was accepted into the Wende/Haynes Trust Fund. In addition, he has been officially accepted into TSTC and approved for housing. On May 12, 2026, the youth signed a lease for an apartment and he is scheduled to receive his apartment keys before classes begin in September. Before leaving Mart, Mr. Custer also assisted JH in applying for part-time and weekend employment opportunities in the area to help support his continued growth and independence. 

We are thrilled as this motivated young man, who possesses the dedication necessary to accomplish his goals, embarks on the next steps of his future. In addition to completing his associates and the welding program, he also plans to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. For Mr. Custer, he says, “It has truly been a privilege to play a role in supporting and assisting this young man throughout his journey toward a successful future.” 

JH’s story is one example of what can happen when education, career training and support come together. His experience also reflects a larger truth: a student’s past does not have to determine the limits of their future. 

Education Creates Pathways 

A graduation ceremony gives us a chance to celebrate the accomplishments of an entire class, but listening to graduates talk about their futures reminds us why this work matters. 

Their goals are as different as they are. Some want to work in the trades. Others want to pursue careers helping people. Some dream of traditional university paths, entering the legal field, while others are interested in medicine, or engineering.  

Some Mart graduates are looking forward to post-secondary education in the trades, while others are preparing to attend traditional four-year universities. One graduate talked about becoming a social worker. Another aspires to become a neurosurgeon. What is most encouraging is not simply the ambition behind these goals. It is seeing youth begin to connect those ambitions to a plan. 

“To me this means accomplishing something I never thought I would accomplish. I never really thought I would completely finish high school. I’m excited to go home eventually and go to college. I have always wanted to go to college. I want to help other kids who have been in my situation, like others helped me,” one youth remarked.  

Education provides the foundation. Career and technical education provides hands-on experience and skills. Certifications provide credentials students can carry into the workforce. And the support of educators, staff, families and community partners helps youth understand the steps between where they are today, where they want to go, and how to get there. 

Looking Ahead 

Lone Star School District and TJJD are committed to expanding traditional education pathways, Career and Technical Education and workforce development opportunities for students. The 2026–2027 school year brings five new or revamped CTE programs: Culinary Arts, General Employability Skills, Graphic Design and Printing and Imaging, Industrial Maintenance, and Dual Credit Welding. Additional CTE positions will support these programs and create more opportunities for youth to explore their interests, build practical skills and prepare for life after TJJD. 

At the heart of this work is a belief that youth are capable of change, growth and success. Our responsibility is to provide the opportunities and support that help them turn their potential into progress. 

The graduates we celebrate remind us what is possible when education, career training and opportunity come together. Their stories show that a youth’s past does not have to define what comes next. Sometimes, a new beginning starts with a diploma. Sometimes it starts with a certification, a new skill or a teacher who refuses to give up. 

And sometimes, it starts with giving a youth the opportunity to believe in what comes next. 

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