Advot in Action

Every few weeks, as a staff, we reflect on our wins and challenges out in the field. This past month, my biggest win and my biggest challenge were wrapped into one bold, unforgettable experience.

The challenge was the environment itself: the volatility, unpredictability, heaviness, and anger we navigate at one of our probation camps.

But the win was our students: their creativity, energy, strength, vulnerability, and depth.

These young women have pierced my heart. They have challenged me, intimidated me, frustrated me, made me cackle, and made me pause.

Over the last few months, they have read me secret love letters they’d only shared with close friends. They’ve shown me pictures of their mothers, dogs, boyfriends, and dads. They’ve written about their darkest stories and deepest shame. They’ve raged at one another and at us, stomped through our teaching space, sobbed, and screamed about how much they hate being there and how badly they want to go home.

And still, we have created space for them to share, laugh, and reflect.

We’ve brought them gifts, pizza, burgers, cupcakes, and chips.

And still, they want more. Their wells are never filled.

One week, Naomi and I walked into the space and immediately felt the anger and impatience in the room. The girls pushed us to hurry up, move faster, skip ahead, and just start class.

There was no room to breathe.

When we tried to slow things down, they pushed back harder—angry, frustrated, interrupting, and mean.

I remember sitting back and taking it all in, thinking about how badly I wanted to leave.

But Naomi leaned in. She asked them how they were feeling, what was going on, what was frustrating them.

We got through the day, and afterward, we reflected.

The next week, the girl who had been the fiercest among them welcomed us at the door. She shared silly stories about her family and her past. She participated in everything we asked her to do.

We laughed a lot.

And I had a revelation:

I can create the lesson plan. I can time-stamp every activity. I can show up with all the supplies, forms, and folders perfectly prepared.

But what these kids need most is a soft place to land.

A place to be themselves.

A place to fail forward.

A place to laugh, relax, learn, and feel seen and safe.

The agenda is not just to teach them about communication and relationships.

The agenda is love.