Largest class to graduate June 27 at James River Juvenile Detention Center

James River Juvenile Detention Center will celebrate its largest class of high school graduates Tuesday, June 27, as 13 residents receive their high school diploma or GED certificate.

The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at the detention center, 3650 Beaumont Road in Powhatan County. The graduates will mark their academic milestone by walking across a stage in a cap and gown before an audience of family members. A reception will follow.

Representatives of the news media are welcome to provide coverage as long as they do not photograph the graduates’ faces. Those planning to attend are asked to contact Superintendent Michael D. Martin in advance at (804) 652-3041 or [email protected].

“These graduates are to be commended for their hard work and dedication,” Martin said. “Their time here will change their lives forever. They will soon return to the community with a running start. We congratulate them and thank our detention and educational staff. This moment also would not be possible without the support of judges, probation officers and families.”

Of the 13 graduates, 11 will receive a GED certificate, and two others will receive a high school diploma. Three of the graduates have secured jobs following their release, and one other plans to attend a local university. The detention center had an additional resident earn a GED certificate earlier this year, giving it 14 graduates for the year.

Each graduate is a resident of the detention center who has been sentenced for six months to its post-dispositional program, which provides an alternative to incarceration through the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. Participants attend class at the detention center through a program operated by Henrico County Public Schools. The 60-bed detention center is jointly owned and operated by the counties of Henrico, Powhatan and Goochland.

 
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