CLARKSDALE – A recent Celebration of Completion ceremony at Coahoma Community College’s Georgia Lewis Theater honored 15 youth-at-risk clients from Coahoma and Quitman counties who participated in a special Adolescent Offender Program geared to keeping them out of the Juvenile Justice System.

Delivering the motivational address was the Rev. Gene J. Lawson, pastor of Real Faith Christian Church of Clarksdale.

“The mission of this program is to deliver a broad range of services to help these youth and their families develop skills to help them stay out of the Juvenile Justice System,” explains Loretta Palmer, program coordinator.

The Mississippi Department of Human Services and Coahoma Community College are the primary link between Youth Court Services in Coahoma and Quitman counties, according to Palmer.

The program is housed at CCC and the Justice Center in Marks.

“We have served 50 youth since the program began in Coahoma County October 1, 2007, and Quitman County since December 1, 2007,” said Palmer.

In addition to Palmer, members of the Adolescent program staff include Jo Louise Brown, administrative assistant and record keeper; Modena Carter, Lee Goliday, Charles Barnes, Marcia Campbell, Oberlin Newell, and Rico Smith, all case managers; and Ira Wilson, licensed professional counselor.