STATEHOUSE—State Rep. Bill Friend (R-Macy) served as the keynote speaker for the graduation ceremony at Logansport Juvenile Correctional Facility on Friday, March 2. The ceremony is held for the young men who earn their GED in the facility. Approximately 120 to 150 juvenile offenders between the ages of 14 and 21 are housed in the facility. An array of programs are offered to help the youth deal with drug and alcohol abuse and anger management. They also have opportunities to advance their education by attaining a GED, the equivalent of a high school diploma. Graduation ceremonies are held six times per year for those who complete the GED program. Rep. Friend spoke with the 18 graduates and their families about the three R’s: relationships, risks, and rewards. “Life is a people business,” said Rep. Friend in his commencement address. “If you find success with people, you’ll find success in life. This is where the first of the three R’s, relationships, comes in.” Rep. Friend advised the graduates that calculated risks are often necessary to improve your lot in life. People take risks when they decide to better their education, move to a new job, or start a business. Rewards, such as a GED certificate or a higher-paying job, are the result of those risks. All of this has to be tempered by each individual’s ability to make responsible decisions. “It was a very fulfilling experience for me,” said Rep. Friend. “The graduates were attentive and I could tell how proud their families were. Making the choice to earn a GED, and then following through with it, is quite an accomplishment and these young men deserve a great deal of credit.”
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