SCAMPY Program Is A Huge Success At AMIKids Jacksonville
“Separating a troubled past from a bright future.”
Joe Coleman and Guy Marvin
June 12, 2018
AMIKids Jacksonville was founded in 1973 as Jacksonville Marine Institute. It is a private nonprofit staff-secure day treatment facility for troubled children ages 14 – 18 who average six arrests prior to referral to AMIKids. It is funded by the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Duval County School Board and private donations.
AMI reaches out to address issues both in the families of the children as well as their impoverished neighborhoods. Most importantly AMI recognizes that succeeding in the classroom and possessing the skills necessary to obtain employment after graduation are essential.
Introducing Sunnyland’s SCAMPY Program into the curriculum fulfills a part of this latter goal in the sense that it provides the woodworking and construction skills that the children learn as they work with our volunteers building boats. These are skills which the children can take back to their homes, neighborhoods and prospective places of employment.
The AMIKids Day Treatment Program is the only one in the country that has been recognized by the Department of Juvenile Justice and the U.S. Department of Justice as having proven “promise”. 80% of AMIKids gain a minimum of one grade level in the program within 4 to 6 months. 74% of them go on to lead a successful, crime-free life. This is one of the most successful day treatment programs in the juvenile justice industry.
A program like this could not be successful without dedicated mentors like Joe and Guy. Our thanks to them for the many hours they spend at AMIKids each week.
What a rewarding experience for these kids