February 2013: Everyday Champion - Jennifer Hubartt

Congratulation's to Jennifer Hubartt for being selected as MCCOY's Everyday Champion for the month of February 2013!

What is your profession or vocation?

Currently, I am serving as the Director and Regional Manager for the Indiana Department of Child Services, Marion County/Region 10 office. Effective 3/4/13, I am taking a new position as a Magistrate for the Marion County Superior Court, Juvenile Division. 

How are you an Everyday Champion for Youth?

I have worked with children and youth throughout my career, as a staff attorney for DCS, then the Chief Legal Counsel for the agency, and currently as the DCS/Marion County Director and Regional Manager. I have a passion for serving our youth, families, and community and believe this work is both rewarding and inspiring.

What impact do you hope to make on youth?

I have sought to advocate for youth and family issues throughout my career, through legal work and agency management. My goal is to provide the best services and outcomes for families and youth who are involved with DCS and the Court.

What's one thing that you wish an adult had told you when you were a young person?

I cannot think of anything specific for this response, however, I have personally come to realize that once you find something about which you are passionate and committed, in my case child and family services, that you may work and serve in many different capacities toward that goal. I have had a great experience holding a variety of positions and feel that I have been a part, along with all of our partners, in achieving a great deal of progress and improvement working for youth in this community.

What do you want to do next to support youth?

I am looking forward to serving children, youth, and familes from the bench as a Magistrate with the Marion County Superior Court, Juvenile Division.

Working collaboratively for education

I am always amazed that there is a rational justification to take away funding and resources from schools that do not perform well (based on standardized testing).  Although the teachers and/or administration may feel the pinch from a financial standpoint or by being replaced/removed, the real victims are obviously the students.  Public schools, which deal with children who depend on the adults/leaders for direction, are not meant to be ran the same as a publicly traded corporation with stock options (money) increasing in value to the highest producers (in this case, schools). I am confused to see funding applied to limited 'solutions', such as sending a few children to charter schools.  How does this benefit the majority of the children who do not receive the same education?  If failing schools see the advantages of charter schools/private schools, it would be wonderful to see some of the ideas implemented into the curriculum of the schools with academic disadvantages to increase the value of the education.   The stigma of being in a 'failing school' is another hurdle that children have to overcome (both socially and academically as they advance forward).  Instead of ranking our schools in Indiana, it seems like it would be beneficial to have schools that are doing well work collaborative with less productive schools to find out what works well so if they must rank the schools, the scores in each county would be more congruent with each other.  It does not help Indiana (or our country) if the children in one county are excelling, but in the next county, the majority of children are failing.  Most people recognize that it is cheaper to put a child/young adult through four years of college than it is to imprison a person for the same amount of time.  Why do we undervalue and negotiate down the education for our youth?

Get Excited!

By Danielle Guerin

Last Monday, our Youth Advocacy Council attended the Children…Our Best Investment Statehouse Conference. The youth spent the day touring the statehouse and talking to representatives about the issues they deemed to be important.  They were able to sit in the gallery and watch the House and Senate in session, as well. As this was my first time chaperoning anything, it was really cool to see the excitement and wonder on their faces as they went through the day.

It made me think of the last time I felt that way. The last time I felt pure joy from the activities of my day. And I couldn't remember other then when I was a child. Sure there are times where I am enjoying my time, whether it be volunteering at the Indianapolis Animal Care and Control or leading a program for Girls,Inc but I don’t remember ever being that excited. I began to wonder if I would ever feel that sense of excitement as I once did, as a child, but I hoped so.

So I decided to challenge myself, to find the little bits of happiness in everything that I do from now on. It’ll be hard, because no one enjoys waking up at 5:45 am to go to the gym but it will be worth it. I also challenge you all to find joy in everything you do and experience for the next month. It will enrich your life in so many ways.

I’m so glad I was able to witness the expressions of the YAC members because it reminded me why we do what we do. Giving youth the opportunity to experience things they might not ever experience. It was great to be reminded of that after a long day at the conference. Now, I look at this picture and I strive to create these types of opportunities for more youth.

A few days after the conference, a video went viral of a little girl getting excited about trains and it made me smile. So, how about we all take a lesson from Madeleine and get excited. 

On God's Front Portch

Written by: Chelsea M. Stallings, BSW student at IUPUI

Life is too short and we need to enjoy the small things, like being in the woods. I have been spending a lot of my time in the woods and it has been teaching me how to be a true hunter. I am very new at this, but I have been waiting my whole life to learn this trade. I am so passionate about hunting that I find myself always looking for deer when I drive pass a cornfield and scanning the sky for birds. Being a female participating in this male dominated sport, gives me more of a drive to become a great hunter. Someone wise once told me, “patience is key, sometimes you just need to sit back and watch the woods come alive”. 

Just recently I have been blessed with a few people who have taken me under their wings. These people have spent a lot of time with me and I can’t explain how thankful I am. From spending quality time in the duck blind, shooting arrows in the backyard, and sitting patiently in a tree stand, have been some of my greatest memories. My hunting buddies have made all of these memories special and I can’t thank them enough for letting a girl join in on their secrets.  

January 13, 2013 one of our hunting buddies was taken from us. Justin Kroh was a good guy who I got to know through spending time in the woods. He was a beginner like me so I could connect with him on that level. Justin was there every weekend ready to corner him a monster. He didn’t talk much, but his actions were powerful. One of his best friends decided to name one of the stands, Kroh Corner. It is going to be tough going back to the woods without him, but that place is where we all can feel him in some way.

Hunting is not only the most exciting sport in the world; it brings family and friends together. I have learned that even on a day when you don’t see a thing you are still spending time with awesome people who have the same interest as you. Also, I have discovered “woods therapy” and how it really helps me. When you are sitting anxiously in a stand, you get plenty of time to think. Sometimes I think about homework assignments I need to complete, how much my grandparents make me laugh, or how blessed I am. Even if you don’t enjoy hunting as much as I do, you should set time aside to just enjoy nature and the beauty of the world. And don’t forget to tell the ones you love how much you appreciate them.

Importance of Youth Mentoring

By: Public Relations Intern at MCCOY- Ivy McConnell



I want to start the year off by expressing the importance of youth mentoring. As I think about my life and the direction I decide to take with education, extra curricular activities, and my career choice, I realized that I am the woman I am today because I had a great mentors when I was younger.

I attend Pike High School a little over ten years ago. I remember my college mentors and my Fashion Design Teacher. My college mentors made a vast impact in my life as a teenager by introducing me to the option to go to college and took me to universities for campus visits so I could choose a major and create connects before I attend. While I'm visiting, doing research on majors and figuring out my purpose in life. I was taking a few fashion design classes under the teaching of Mrs. Sutton. I decided to take her classes because I love fashion and wanted to create my own clothes instead of purchasing another persons idea. After a year, she entered me into fashion shows and contests around the city so I can show off my original designs. One day, after school she sat me down and told me that I should make my hobby into a career in fashion. I'm thinking I can't make a living off of designing and constructing clothes. She really believed in me and my talent to help others. Therefore, I went to my college mentors and they help me choose Ball State University.

Ball State have one of the largest fashion programs in the country! I pursed my BS in Apparel Design and Fashion Merchandising with a minor in Marketing. WOW! I double majored and came out as a Store Manager and Stylist of my own store. Little did I know that Mrs. Sutton was mentoring me for two years. She mold and guide me to follow my dreams and make a career out my passion. Not to mention, my college mentors were the reason why I was very involved on campus taking on leadership roles while being a active citizen in my community.

I strongly encourage you to sign up at mentoring organization or program here in Indianapolis. Organizations like Trusted Mentors , Indiana Youth Institute The Alliance of Youth Mentoring Agencies of Central  Indiana and 100 Black Men Indianapolis, are a great start to get involve. Not to mention, you may be mentoring a young person right now and don't recognize it. Get involve in 2013 with youth mentoring. You will change yours and their life forever!

A Pioneer in Youth Advocacy: Jane Addams

Jane Addams, Nobel Peace Prize winner and widely accepted to be the founder of social work in the United States, was also one of the most influential advocates for children in our nation’s history.

Cate, a 3rd-grader, tells us the story of Jane Addams and the Hull House:

Addams is best known for founding the Hull House in Chicago in 1889, which provided a variety of support and services to the local marginalized immigrant population.  She lived and worked there until her death in 1935.

While the Hull House served everyone in the neighborhood, many of the efforts were quite specific to children.  The Hull House provided day care and kindergarten services for working parents.  However, this was no ordinary childcare environment.  The children of Hull House had access to art, a library, and plenty of freedom to exercise and just play - very unusual luxuries for most children born into these poor and struggling immigrant families.  In fact, children during this time were often expected to work long hours in deplorable conditions alongside their parents.

The pervasiveness of child labor was deeply upsetting to Addams.  She was a very active in lobbying for policy that would end child labor, which was finally enacted on the federal level in 1916.  Additionally, she helped to create the first juvenile court.  She was vice-president of the Campfire Girls, and a member of the executive boards of the National Playground Association and the National Child Labor Committee.

Today, thanks to the trailblazers of the past, there are countless ways to serve and advocate for young people in our community.  From mentoring, to supporting legislation that would lead to positive youth outcomes, to donating time and money to youth advocacy organizations, we all have the power to be champions for our youth.  

What will you do?

Revenge Written by: Hollyn Meador

Revenge.  Some would say it is a necessary justification to injustice.  Others might say it has no place in the world.  By what means is revenge justifiable?  How far is one “allowed” to go, while maintaining a moral compass?  Can revenge exist for some circumstances and not others? 

These are questions that the ABC television serious Revenge poses.  The themes of justice, forgiveness, morality, love, deceit, and power are intertwined within plots, subplots, and more underlying subplots.  Emily VanCamp plays Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke, the main character.  Born as Amanda Clarke, Emily Thorne returns to the Hamptons as a charitable socialite plotting her father’s vengeance on a wrongful conviction framed by the wealthy Grayson family.  Her father, David Clarke, was sent to federal prison on account of terrorism responsible for downing one of the planes in the 9/11 attacks.

I have been watching this television series for a few weeks now and I am totally enthralled.  My favorite kinds of movies and shows are the ones that keep unveiling layers and layers of connections and new storylines.  The element of surprise can be somewhat addicting.  Not only do I enjoy the entertainment piece, but also I enjoy how the show helps me reflect upon life.  It represents deeper issues of society.  Issues of self-preservation and how far people are willing to go and compromise themselves for the sake of protecting their pride.  It makes me wonder what kind of high society crime does not get exposed on the news.  It also makes me wonder how this kind of show may influence or effect our teen population in regards to bullying.  The show may perpetuate behaviors like bullying or perpetuate revenge back on a bully from the victim. 

The irony with revenge is that in retaliating back from a wrongdoing against us, we commit the same wrongdoing, however, it may feel more justified.  But just because it feels more justified, does that make it right?  This may be the underlying deceit in the idea that revenge is truly fulfilling and satisfying, when in reality, it may not be.  The power to forgive the person who wronged us may be far more rewarding than taking the same action one experienced from that bully back onto him or her.

In the show (as in life), it is easy to judge each character, the choices they make and the sins of their past and present.  Then I wonder, “What if I was in their position?” “What if I was experiencing this high degree of righteous anger, so much so to move me to doing something?”  “What would I do?”  As I watch the plots unfold, I find myself tearing up at the heartbreak and the struggle of being a product of someone else’s consequences.   Life-changing consequences.

What I am learning from the television show, Revenge, is that sometimes life struggles consist of mostly gray areas.  The gray areas move us into a place of self-analysis and self-reflection.  A place to decide whom we want to be based on the choices of our actions, particularly when faced with hurt and disappointment.  To whom will we look for guidance?  How will we know we have made the right decision?