Jenny Newman, director of the Central Shenandoah Office on Youth, presented the office’s annual report to Waynesboro City Council on Nov. 24, emphasizing program trends, participant outcomes and areas for additional data collection and support.

Newman said the office served 57 youth with detention-alternative services and 63 through diversionary programming during the fiscal year, and that program referrals come from courts, social services, schools and community agencies. She noted a shift toward younger participants — where five years ago many participants were 15–17, the office is now seeing more 10–13‑year‑olds — and reported more incidents involving weapons among that younger cohort.

On truancy prevention, Newman described the check-and-connect program and a truancy board option that diverted 17 students from court in FY25; staff continued case management for 82 students carried into the next school year. She said the office recorded 1 GED completion, four early graduates and five on‑time graduates; 35 students increased attendance and were successfully released from programming. Newman described parenting and prevention programming, a fatherhood program, and expanded community outreach including a traffic garden and a bike club.

Jeff Fife, chairman of the regional office on youth, used citizen comment time to thank staff and encourage resident engagement; he emphasized vacancies for Waynesboro representatives on the regional commission and urged volunteers, citing a return‑on‑investment argument that prevention services (cited in the presentation as about $122 per participant) are far less costly than court or residential placements.

Council did not take action on the report; Newman said the office will continue data collection and program work and invited public involvement.