
The Department of Juvenile Services’ new secretary, Vincent Schiraldi, who said he pushed for the libraries to be installed in Baltimore’s juvenile center, told The Sun that institutionalization can “unnecessarily” rob people of individuality and humanness. “Education is proven to reduce recidivism, and often, education begins with somebody picking up a book,” the agency’s secretary, Carolyn J. The agency also hopes to install a Freedom Library at the Central Maryland Correctional Facility in Sykesville.

TTS leaders are committed to doing their best to ensure their programming continues to reach as many youth as possible, building futures and sparking inspiration.The library at the Dorsey Run Correctional Facility, a minimum-security prison in Jessup, will make browsing possible for people who work during the typical library time, according to Morgan Wright, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The generous support of library Friends also offers our adult mentors and teen leaders the opportunity to pivot quickly to meet the challenges of today when the communities served by our eight Teen Tech Squads across Hennepin County are hit the most by hardship. With the support of donors, Friends of the Hennepin County Library is contributing $654,000 in support of youth development programming, including Teen Tech Squad in 2023, which allows the continued development of future leaders in STEM across the county. Reflecting on his experience, he shares, “To be honest, the best people I’ve met are at the library.” The Future of Teen Tech Squad Depends on Generous Support of Friends Like You Having earned a prestigious scholarship, he dreams of paying it forward and helping others pursue their educational dreams. Irfan just completed his employment at the library and is now pursuing an exciting academic future. And most importantly, he enjoyed this chapter of his life, saying, “If you like your work, and someone else appreciates it, then it’s the best job ever.” He lights up at the memory of completing an escape room with the community he built at work.įor the first time, he collaborated with people of many religions and cultural backgrounds. Alongside new friends, he designed and led STEM activities, from slime making to metal molding.

No stranger to working with youth, he landed this part-time role as a member of the library’s staff. After getting to know Irfan, librarians encouraged him to apply to the Teen Tech Squad.
