By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
WABASH COUNTY, Ind. – The Wabash County Probation Department has joined forces with Wabash County Promise to help promote post-secondary education to local youth.
The department received funding through the Indiana Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative for the funds to help justice-involved youth pursue post-secondary education, as well as to educate and encourage their families to save or the future by using CollegeChoice 529 accounts.
The partnership was announced Tuesday afternoon during the annual lunch to update the community on Wabash County Promise’s success the past year, as well as to ask community leaders for continued financial support.
The probation department’s grant, which came through an Annie E. Casey Foundation funded initiative, will provide incentives for justice-involved youth who meet social and educational target behaviors, such as school attendance, extra educational effort or grades received, applying to college for scholarships and more, according to a handout given luncheon guests.
“We really felt that this was a great way to literally invest in the future of the youth we serve,” Chief Probation Officer Sarah Lochner said in the handout. “We believe in their potential and want for each child to feel supported and hopeful for their future, whether they’re headed to a four-year university or a trade school. We want them to know that we support the effort they put into accomplishing the goals they set for themselves.”
Those gathered at the luncheon at the Wabash County YMCA also heard from Wabash Middle School teachers Tina Dirig and Zach Wenrich, as well as Joanne Case from the Community Foundation of Wabash County and Wabash County Promise founders Clint Kugler and Jason Callahan.
For more on the event, see the Dec. 6 issue of The Paper of Wabash County.