Pubdate: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) Copyright: 2004 News-Journal Corporation Contact: http://www.news-journalonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/700 Author: Deborah Circelli Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS FIND YULE, PEACE, PROMISE DAYTONA BEACH -- A small-framed brunette stretches her arm pointing to cloth stockings hanging from the ceiling with the names of 18 girls on them. On the wall, a construction paper Santa Claus she made with other teens is pictured coming down a chimney. The 17-year-old, whose name is not being used because she is a juvenile, won't wake up in her own bed surrounded by family on Christmas morning. She won't even see her mom, who is visiting her brother in another state. Instead, the Spruce Creek High School teen will open donated presents with the other girls she has lived with for the past five months in the Pines Girls Delinquency Commitment program at Stewart-Marchman Center in Daytona Beach. The teen, along with about 90 boys and girls from counties including Volusia, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Seminole and Duval, have been ordered by a court to the six-to eight-month programs for a variety of criminal behavior, from shoplifting and battery to using or selling drugs. The brunette, who returns home in two weeks, said she was sent to Stewart-Marchman after being arrested for fighting at school. She then violated her probation by skipping school and said she had also been smoking marijuana. "I've learned it's not worth doing everything I used to do. It hurts me the most," said the teen, who plans to go to college for nursing. "And I've really learned that school should be No. 1 in my life." She lowers her head when talking about being away from her family for the holidays. She says "it's a little depressing," but the staff donates gifts along with other area organizations. "It will help me when I get home to stay on the right track so I don't get locked up for the holidays anymore," she said. "I'll strive to keep doing good so I'm not away from my family again." Her mom, who lives in Daytona Beach Shores and visits twice a week, said she was looking forward to having her daughter for Christmas. They left presents at the center and their daughter made an ornament for them to put on their tree "so they can feel that I'm there," the girl said. "Absolutely, it's going to be hard for everybody," her mom said. "Hopefully, she will learn her lesson." Chet Bell, executive vice president of Stewart-Marchman, said the staff tries to celebrate the various holidays in as "traditional and normal a manner as possible given the unusual circumstances." Outside the buildings off Tiger Bay Road, icicle lights hang from the roof and the teens painted snow and other designs on the windows. Trees also are decorated inside the buildings. "Not being together can be traumatic for people," Bell said. "We try to make it as normal as it can be in an abnormal setting." Many of the families will visit on Christmas and eat dinner with the staff and teens. Church groups also come during the holidays to sing and provide gifts. About 20 of the youth have furloughs to go home on Christmas for 24 or 48 hours, Bell said. Others may have used their passes previously or they have not been there long enough to qualify. An 18-year-old Lake County teen will be home with her mom and sisters for the holiday and return the day after Christmas. She'll then go home for good on Jan. 14. The teen, who was using drugs and dropped out of school, says she's learned not to take things for granted. "Every little thing is a privilege," said the blonde, who wants to get her GED and go to college for cosmetology. "It's been a wake-up call for me. I either learn my lesson now or I'll be in a worse place." In a boys program nearby, teens played basketball outside earlier this week. One 14-year-old arrived nine days ago after getting out of juvenile detention, where he had been for 21 days. At just 5 feet tall, the seventh-grader said he got in trouble for hitting a teacher at Silver Sands Middle School and not going to school for two months. His grandmother and great-grandmother plan to visit him on Christmas. He says he'd rather be at Stewart-Marchman than in juvenile detention, where he was for Thanksgiving. "Yeah, I miss my biological family, but I'm part of a family here too," he said. "We all act like brothers here." An 18-year-old Mount Dora teen, who dropped out of school in the 10th grade, said it's going to be hard missing dinner with his siblings and extended family. His grandmother, who he lives with, plans to visit. He's been in the program for five months. He was arrested for possession of cocaine and said he'd been selling drugs for about a year. "I know that's not a good choice anymore," he said. "It's not worth it being locked up just for the money and the pleasure when you can have your freedom." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek