Trask River Student wins poster contest
Earlier this year, guests of the Portland Art Museum had the opportunity to vote on finalists for the 2025 PDX Jazz in the Schools Poster Contest. When the votes were tallied, one of the two winners was Andre, a student at Tillamook School District’s Trask River High School. Trask River serves youth at the Oregon ...
Career Fair at Tillamook Offers Youth a Vision of What’s Possible
On July 25, youth at Tillamook Youth Correctional Facility and Camp Tillamook got a glimpse of what their futures could hold. The career fair, organized by the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) and Trask River High School, brought local employers, military recruiters, and community college representatives to the school’s gymnasium. Participants shared job leads, skill-building advice, ...
“Expand Your Horizons”: A New Mural’s Lasting Impacts
Eastern Oregon Youth Correctional Facility’s new mural is so much more than a painting on the side of a building. Designed and created by youth at the facility in partnership with visiting artist Matteo Miles, the colorful artwork helped youth build critical life skills and leave a lasting mark. “It’s not just walls anymore,” said ...
Trust, Regulation, Belonging: What Horses Teach Youth in Custody
By MacLaren QMHP Stacey Varner Since 2005, I have worked for the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP). During that time, the youth committed to us have changed significantly, with substantial increases in the frequency and complexity of mental and behavioral health issues. Youth in OYA custody demonstrate developmental and ...
Youth Wins National Poetry Contest
Jarvis, a youth committed to OYA’s Rogue Valley Youth Correctional Facility in Grants Pass, has won BreakFree Education’s Words Unlocked Poetry contest. Read or listen to his poem, “Exploring My Life.” Growing up in poverty,My imagination would run wild.Hit by reality,Made it hard to smile. Trials and tribulations,Nothing seemed to help.Experiences of frustration,Cause no-one knew ...