KATIE WILFONG
Staff Writer
The Pepperdine students linger while the rest of their group starts to arrive. In front of Special Programs, the Volunteer Center van remains still, waiting to be driven 30 minutes north on Pacific Coast Highway. The caring volunteers, dressed in baggy clothes, carry nothing with them. As the group is finally together, they pile into the vehicle on a tepid day, and prepare to impact lives.
Just down the road, juveniles wait for the volunteers to arrive. Each volunteer is paired with a young man between the ages of 12 and 17 for a semester. All of the young men have been referred by the juvenile court because of first offense crimes including theft, assault and battery, breaking and entering and various other crimes, often associated with gangs.
“The thing that made me really want to help was that the boys had to apply for these tutor sessions and qualify, to prove that they actually wanted the help,” said Rebecca Geibel, a Pepperdine student. “I like knowing that they aren’t here because they have to be.”
The first time the volunteers tutor, the director explains the rules. There is a dress code for Camp Kilpatrick that volunteers must comply with. In order to make everyone involved and more comfortable, excessively tight clothes, low cut shirts and short skirts are not allowed. Volunteers are also not permitted to ask students about the criminal behavior that got them here, unless the information is offered.
Although these young men have broken the law, they have the potential to turn their lives around. “For many of these boys, Pepperdine students are the only consistency they have in their lives,” said Andrea Rodriguez, program coordinator. “They meet one-on-one, once a week for a few hours to do math and English homework. Tutors have a tremendous effect on the young men. Some of them discover a newfound confidence and look toward going to college.”
Since most of the guys are there for several months for a variety of unlawful actions, they have the opportunity to part of the “Kilpatrick Mustangs.” This football team gives the boys something to work for. “This is the first time I’ve ever been good at anything,” said Wayne, a 17-year-old player. “I didn’t know I could do anything but gang-bang.”
Pepperdine students sometimes question whether they are really making a difference or wasting their time.
“A lot of people come in narrow minded,” said Rodriguez. “Then they go to the camp and realize how inspiring it is. They get a lot out of it for themselves, aside from tutoring the boys.”
Said inmate Wayne: “Rebecca is cool and I can talk to her and I know that she will listen to me. Plus she also helps me with math and English. I haven’t thought of what I’m gonna do when I leave here, but I want to keep playing football for sure.”
A big challenge for the young men when they are finished with camp is how they will stay out of trouble. They are highly encouraged to finish high school and get a degree. But often, encouragement is not enough.
“After they are out, they are back to being surrounded by negative influences,” said Rodriguez. “Once you’re in a gang, it’s hard to get out, and they could be risking their lives.”
“Many of the inmates don’t mind the camp,” she continued. “Because it is a lot safer than the outside world that they are used to.”
Pepperdine volunteers support the facility’s goal to lessen delinquent tendencies through education and counseling.
Camp Kilpatrick’s probation officer, Tom Barr, said this year’s group of volunteers is the best he has seen in a long time.
Giving the young men an opportunity to edify and express themselves, is what they need along with a few people to lead them in a straight path. They don’t get to interact with people their own age, so these few hours make a world of a difference.
12-06-2007
