EASTON, Pa. — More than a dozen volunteers on Tuesday committed their service to the community’s school children who find themselves at odds with the law for the first time.
The volunteers are part of The IMPACT Project Inc. and its School Justice and Community Justice panels, with the two groups serving students of middle-school and high-school-aged or the community at-large, respectively.
The Emmaus-based nonprofit provides diversion programming for youth “who are first-time offenders to make reparations to their victims, to avoid the criminal justice system and to remain in their homes, schools and communities” — think physical altercations, vandalism and drug use in schools, for example.
Judge Samuel P. Murray, administrative judge for Northampton County Juvenile Court, facilitated the swearing-in.
Taking mistakes, learning from them
Two of the school justice volunteers were two school counselors out of Bethlehem: Halina John, sixth-grade counselor at Northeast Middle School, and Megan Lillie, eighth-grade counselor at Broughal Middle School.
They agreed their careers were built upon having genuine relationships with the students they help.
“I always say, ‘You’re gonna make mistakes in life, but it’s how you learn from them that can impact your future.'”Halina John, 6th grade counselor at Northeast Middle School
They also agreed their roles with the children are “door-to-door,” meaning from the time the children leave school to when they cross the threshold at home, the two are responsible for them in one way or another.
“If they made a mistake, they can make it better and learn something from them,” John said.
“I always say, ‘You’re gonna make mistakes in life, but it’s how you learn from them that can impact your future.'”
Lillie said her now two years working alongside IMPACT has bolstered the relationships between her Broughal students and their families alike.
IMPACT's impact
Judge Murray said the nonprofit’s Diversion Program has seen great success in Northampton County. IMPACT’s website shows 859 total referrals out of the Lehigh Valley in 2024.
Pre-petition diversion was discussed locally starting about a decade ago, he said.
In 2023, it became a reality, as diversion services were offered to juveniles of the Bethlehem area for the first time.
The next year, school justice panels expanded to schools in Easton, Wilson and Northampton, and the community justice panels began serving the entire county, Murray said.
“We’re serving our kids, and we’re not sanctioning them. We’re not labeling them as criminals. We’re helping them to become productive citizens.”Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta
Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta, who oversees the selection of cases referred to IMPACT, said he has been involved in juvenile justice in various roles for about three decades of his legal career.
A juvenile system once plagued with detention placements, budget overruns and tearing children away from their families and community is now seeing new life thanks to IMPACT and other groups such as the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission and State Children’s Roundtable Initiative, Baratta said.
“We’re serving our kids, and we’re not sanctioning them," he said. "We’re not labeling them as criminals. We’re helping them to become productive citizens.”
'Change lives, repair trust, prevent future crime'
County President Judge Craig Dally said the work “will help build a stronger, more just, more connected community.”
“It’s going to be hard work, but it’s going to be good work.”Judge Brian J. Panella
“You bring compassion, discernment and integrity into every case you consider,” Dally told the volunteers.
“You will not just be applying policies — you will be shaping outcomes that can change lives, repair trust and prevent future crime.”
Judge Brian J. Panella said to the panels: “It’s going to be hard work, but it’s going to be good work.”
IMPACT will even be spreading its reach in contracting with Carbon County Juvenile Probation, an agreement set to begin next month, according to the nonprofit’s website.
