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Community groups and school counselor ask NEISD to adopt Juvenile Justice Jeopardy program
Summary
Presenters from Delta Sigma Theta, the San Antonio Police Department and a Reagan High School counselor described a classroom-friendly program called Juvenile Justice Jeopardy that aims to teach students about juvenile law, rights and consequences and requested district review and support for pilot use next fall.
Members of the San Antonio chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, an SAPD officer and NEISD staff described a program called Juvenile Justice Jeopardy and asked the board to consider district adoption or support.
The request matters because the program seeks to educate students 12–18 about the juvenile justice system, their rights and potential consequences, which presenters said could reduce misconceptions students gain from social media and prevent future justice involvement.
Dr. Debbie Hamilton, speaking for the San Antonio chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, said the program—modeled after the game Jeopardy—was developed by Strategies for Youth and had been presented in area schools, churches and youth groups since 2022 with local partnerships including SAPD and the San Antonio Area Foundation. "Modeled after the popular game Jeopardy, JJJ is designed to engage youth 12 to 18 in interactive sessions that educate them about the juvenile justice system, their legal rights, and the consequences of certain behaviors," she said.
Officer Joel Pope with the San Antonio Police Department described the program's benefits for law-enforcement engagement with youth and emphasized that the content is customizable and includes pre/post surveys to measure shifts in student knowledge. "The most important piece of this juvenile justice jeopardy game is that it can be tailored to your individual needs," he said, adding that SAPD would continue to support presentations.
Michelle Tanner, a school counselor at Reagan High School, described classroom experience using the program in AVID and JROTC classes. Tanner said parental permission was obtained and that students without permission were given alternative assignments. She said pre- and post-surveys showed students' misconceptions about police interactions and legal consequences decreased after participation. "This is about being proactive, not reactive. It's about prevention, not punishment, and it's about equipping our students with knowledge before they find themselves in situations with life altering consequences," Tanner said.
Two Reagan students, Emily and Amanda Strock, told trustees they found the game engaging and that it corrected misunderstandings they had about laws and consequences.
Presenters said the program is free to NEISD and that NEISD instructional staff will meet with program organizers to discuss legal and operational questions. Trustees asked for a follow-up briefing once district staff has met with the presenters to answer legal and procedural questions and to assess fit within curriculum and consent protocols.
