Books over Bars

A group of tech-educators share what it takes to get the internet up and running inside of youth facilities, and ensure the technology gets used to make school engaging and meaningful, not simply as a tech-based substitute for packets.

Henderson Lewis, outgoing Superintendent of New Orleans Public Schools, talks about how he sees his work in New Orleans–and ensuring that students held in detention get a quality education–as a part of the larger civil rights struggle.

A group of students from a juvenile facility in Missouri remind us how important it is to offer them choice, to trust in them, and see them as capable.

Robert Alexander, a tradesman turned teacher shares how he and a group of students designed and built a Tiny House, inside of a youth facility. You can access photos of the tiny house under "Podcasts" on our website at https://www.breakfree-ed.org/edupalooza-content.

David Domenici is the Executive Director of BreakFree Education and a longtime juvenile justice and education advocate. He joins us to talk about the many different people that play a role in a young person finding success in the juvenile justice classroom.

In this episode we’re joined by poet Sha’Condria "iCon" Sibley and Christopher, a winning student from our 2021 Words Unlocked contest. Words Unlocked is a nationwide poetry initiative and contest sponsored by BreakFree Education during National poetry month in April for students in juvenile justice facilities.

Music from this episode was created by students and staff at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Los Angeles in 2016.