Expanding Programs to Reach Incarcerated Youth Statewide
The Petey Greene Program has been partnering with the Department of Youth Services (DYS) in Massachusetts since 2018, supporting academic programs for youth enrolled in high school equivalency classes, trade programs, or college courses in two DYS facilities. Maureen Kendzierski, who coordinates the partnership between the Petey Greene Program and DYS admits that she initially had doubts about how her students would respond to the new program: “When we forged our partnership with Petey Greene, I was not sure if our youth would be open to working with tutors,” she recounts. But the program has been a resounding success. “This is our fourth year partnering with Petey Greene and at the beginning of each new semester, youth will ask me ‘When are the tutors coming, Miss?’ Our Petey Greene tutors have become an important part of our community of growth and learning; we are thrilled to have them with us,” Maureen continues.
“Our Petey Greene tutors have become an important part of our community of growth and learning; we are thrilled to have them with us.”
Student M.A., shares that he was skeptical about tutoring: “Originally I thought that I did not need a tutor because I was doing all of the work by myself, but after my first session with the tutor I understood how intelligent and eager to help me she was. I honestly appreciated it.”
In the Fall of 2021, the successful partnership expanded to include 17 DYS facilities in Massachusetts, which house over 200 youth. The Petey Greene Program is in the process of placing its first 40 tutors, supporting 85 students ages 12-21 living in DYS facilities, with the goal of expanding to over 60 tutors by the end of the 2021-2022 academic year. Tutors, who are drawn from partners across the state, including UMass Amherst, Holyoke Community College, MIT, and Clark, Brandeis, Harvard, Boston and Tufts universities, provide academic support and build connections and supportive relationships.
PGP tutor and Tufts University student Erika Chen explains what the tutoring experience has meant to her: “Tutoring with Petey Greene has allowed me to directly work with those that are impacted by the criminal legal system. Not only have I been able to assist my students in working towards academic success, but I have also had the opportunity to get to know them as individuals. Tutoring has been one of the highlights of my college career and has highly influenced my work in and approaches to criminal justice, antiracism, and education.”
“Tutoring has been one of the highlights of my college career and has highly influenced my work in and approaches to criminal justice, antiracism, and education.”
We are delighted to expand our partnership with the Department of Youth Services in Massachusetts to bring the PGP’s high-quality, in-person tutoring to incarcerated youth across the state.