Testimonials

“CHOICES is a unique program that provides  information essential to the health of the youth in detention. The program is informative as well as entertaining. It engages the youth in a way few programs in detention are capable of and the transparency of the volunteers allow the kids to gain knowledge far greater than what they may learn in their high school sex and health education classes. CHOICES has been a great addition to the JDC and a valuable asset to our programming department.”

--Mr. Kaelan Mayfield, former Assistant Programming Director of Saint Louis City Juvenile Detention Center

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“Mr. Gabriel, I feel you. You always saying ‘Choose this’ or ‘Choose that' or 'Don't choose that,' talking about what we eat and what not. But what you really saying is, ‘Choose better and then you live better.’”

--Raymond, 16, youth in detention

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"When I first joined CHOICES, it sounded like fun. The seminars sounded cool and I figured it would be a welcome break from all of my medical studying. And it is those things, for sure. But it's so much more. Working with the young people at City JDC has really taught me a lot. These kids are growing up in a completely different world than me and hearing their thoughts and seeing their way of looking at things just really opened my eyes. It's definitely going to make me a better doctor. But I think it's made me a better human being as well."

--M2 volunteer, WUSM Class of 2020