By Amber Jurgensen | Staff Writer
When Plant City High School alum Jonathan Holmes walked into a group home for teen-age boys, he knew what he was getting into — temper tantrums, picky choosers and emotions that can change in matter of seconds.
Holmes, now a social-work major at Benedict College, in South Carolina, was the new summer intern at Youth Villages, in Memphis, and he was charged with mentoring eight boys who had emotional and behavior dysfunctions.
The 25-year-old set out with the goal to empower the youth.
“There were lots of different personalities,” Holmes said. “At 13 and 14, you’re trying to decide what you are, who you are.”
Every day the group followed a schedule that included activities such as group discussions on decision-making, teaching life skills such as food etiquette and dressing for success, leisure time and field trips. Holmes’ favorite exercise to do with the boys was a group discussion during which the boys would be given certain scenarios and would have to make a decision. Everyone could discuss why one decision was more socially acceptable than the other. Holmes also counseled and offered advice.
“The greatest challenge for me was having to read their psycho-social on why they are in the home and not judge them based off their diagnosis,” Holmes said. “Building a repertoire with the youth where they trust you and you trust them was also a challenge.”
As an intern, Holmes could not befriend the boys, but he did make one lasting impression on a particular teen. One 15-year-old had trouble socializing with other boys during leisure time. Holmes played baseball for a year at Benedict College in South Carolina and before that, at Plant City. When the boy learned Holmes played baseball, they bonded instantly.
“His whole attitude just changed,” Holmes said. “His whole being changed. Just taking the time to throw the ball changed him.”
The boy’s behavior continued to improve, and he should be able to leave the group home in October. Until then, the boy asked if Holmes could be put on his list of approved phone calls he could make.
When Holmes first started college, he wanted to study criminal justice. But he was inspired by his mother, Priscilla, to make a bigger impact by switching to social work.
“She was a giver,” Holmes says. “She never really expected anything in return. That’s how I was raised. Don’t complain; just give.”
His mother was a former Plant City Police Department dispatcher and a secretary at the city. But her dream was to start a day care, which she did.
After Holmes graduates in December, he plans to apply with Youth Villages for a job in social work.
Youth Villages is a nonprofit group that helps more than 20,000 children and families in 11 states and Washington, D.C., through programs such as foster care and adoption, transitional living services, and mentoring and crisis services.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.