I would like to remind our citizens that North Dakota's most important resource continues to be our youth. Despite the ongoing pattern of migration of many of our state's young men and women, we must continue to invest in the future of our communities through the development and education of our children.

As North Dakotans, we must bear this responsibility to ensure the future of our state. We do have a facility (North Dakota Youth Correctional Center in Mandan, formerly known as the State Industrial School) that is instrumental in this process. I feel NDYCC is a "gem" within our state's correctional system and should be a model for youth correctional facilities around the country.

I have had the privilege of providing mental health services to the students at NDYCC on a weekly basis for the past 11 years and I have been greatly impressed. Students come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures and are taught to respect and accept one another.

Counseling services are available for the many adolescents who need help battling addiction. Students at NDYCC are encouraged to learn self-responsibility and accountability and to confront other students when inappropriate behavior is demonstrated. Group sessions are led by cottage counselors and involve topics including gang involvement, victim empathy, self-esteem, and anger management, among others.

Many students who arrive at NDYCC are failing academically but are able to make significant progress toward a high school diploma or GED. The educational staff is excellent and devoted to the task of making the students successful. Some students are able to leave the facility with certification in vocational skills such as welding, which further enhances their opportunities for success upon returning to the community. The administration and cottage directors work with the students, families, and representatives from the community to help make a successful transition back into the community or into a less structured residential placement.

The staff at NDYCC is a devoted and hard-working group of individuals that is dedicated to helping put our wayward youth in North Dakota back on a path that will provide them with the skills they need to be successful in the future. They have my gratitude and on-going support for taking on this important task.