PROGRAM WITH A PURPOSE

By JOANN JONES

‘stand in the gap’

Justin and Laura Burnette are willing to take their efforts wherever they are needed.

Justin Burnette had a vision — a vision from God, he said.

And he shared that vision with his wife, Laura.

The two have banded together for the purpose of helping young people ages 11 to 16 make good choices, exhibit positive behavior as role models and become exemplary citizens in their communities.

While they do that, they enjoy fellowship and fun by playing table hockey, dancing to “Dance, Dance, Revolution” (DDR) and exhibiting a whole lot of love and respect for one another.

Justin, a former teacher at Eagle Heights Academy and now an educational assistant in a special education classroom in Girard, established a program he and his wife call “Stand in the Gap.” The Burnettes have conducted the eight-week program three times — in the Trumbull County Juvenile Justice Center, the downtown Youngstown YMCA and the Boardman YMCA — since last March.

Several other organizations — school districts, social service agencies and churches — have received proposals from the Burnettes to present the program to their young people.

“Through the program, things we talked about gave these kids a purpose,” Justin said. “One was raised in a drug house. He told us, ‘I don’t want to follow my parents.’”

Many benefits

We usually meet for an hour and a half,” he said, “ministering, counseling and doing other activities such as team-building.”

As part of their ministry, the Burnettes provide the young people with a prayer box each week so they can place prayer requests in it.

“One of the things we do is teach the kids about faith,” he said.

Fourteen-year-old Kara Marki of Columbiana is one whose faith has been strengthened by the Burnettes’ program at the Boardman YMCA. “It’s helped bring me closer to God,” she said. “I definitely pray more often.”

But the program has helped her with her self-esteem, too, she said.

“I’ve learned how to think more for myself,” said Marki, a freshman at Crestview High School. “I’ve probably become nicer to people, too. Before, I used to be mean if others were mean to me. Now I just ignore them.”

“I’ve learned how to apply for a job and how to interview,” she added. “I have more self-confidence. This program will help me know what to do when I look for a part-time job.”

Kara’s sister, Cheyenne, 13, also participated in the program. A student at Holy Family in Poland, Cheyenne said the Burnettes have helped her in many ways. “I used to think religion class was boring,” she said, “but this program has helped me to listen and understand better.”

“I’ve also gotten a lot nicer,” she added. “There was a guy who used to make fun of me because I was a bad athlete. I used to say things back to him. When I stopped that, he stopped making fun of me, and now we’re actually good friends.”

Hands-on help

Cheyenne spoke highly of both the Burnettes. “They’re very effective,” she said. “They don’t talk and talk. We do a lot of hands-on things, and that’s more effective than just sitting there.”

The Marki girls’ father saw the flier in the YMCA that advertised the program and signed his daughters up. But not all attendees are members, Justin said. “We also work with kids who haven’t been successful in a traditional school setting,” he said. “We try to get them through the transition to go back.”

Laura said the girls in the Trumbull County JJC have made her very proud of the changes they’ve made in their lives. “I’ve been talking with one of my toughest girls who got out of JJC,” she said. “She’d like to spend more time with me, and she calls me a lot. She actually walked away from a fight not too long ago. She’s also dressing more modestly and is acting better.”

The Burnettes met with the kids in the JJC twice a week, but many — the girls, especially, Laura said — wanted to see them three times a week.

“A lot are motivated to get out of JJC and get back to school,” Justin added.

The strong one

Laura credits her husband with helping her develop a strong faith, giving her the strength to help young women and learning to deal with adversity. The couple has been together for a year and married only seven months.

“Justin has helped me a lot,” she said. “I’m usually very frantic, and he’s the calm one. Now we’re always on the same page.”

At the end of the eight-week program, participants receive a certificate. But they come out with much more than that.

“I’ve been through the program a couple of times,” said Justin’s son, Tequan, a student at Choffin Learning Center. “I’ve learned how to respect people and address them in the right manner, how to dress properly and how to take care of myself. It’s helped me to become a better person.”

As the Burnettes “stand in the gap” for other young people, they will continue to take their program throughout the area wherever they are needed.

“This isn’t the first,” Justin said of the Boardman program. “And it won’t be the last.”