SECOND CHANCE FOR KIDS ON DRUGS

Juvenile Drug Court Gives Teen A Chance To Reclaim Her Life

ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP -- At age 11, Lexie tried drugs for the first
time.

The drugs robbed her of an entire childhood, she said.

She became a "street kid" who, wandering around at all hours, felt
alienated from her family and committed crimes to feed her habit.
Lexie -- who gave birth to a son last spring -- landed in juvenile
court and has spent years on probation.

On this day, Lexie reclaimed her life.

"It is the most amazing accomplishment," the 17-year-old said,
sitting in a room awaiting her last appearance in Kane County's
Juvenile Drug Court and an informal graduation ceremony. "I can keep
my past in the past. I can start my life, go to college and take
care of my son."

Her mother, Linda, sat next to her with a huge smile on her face.
Outside the room, Lexie's 8-month-old son could be heard laughing and
gurgling as his great-aunt held him and his great-grandfather kept
him occupied.

"I'm happy for her," said Linda. "We went through lots of stuff. It's
been a long haul. This is a happy day."

Slippery slope

Lexie started using recreational drugs, but it was like a chain
reaction leading to drug addiction, Lexie said. A factor in her
addiction was peer pressure, she said.

The first arrest came in 2003 when she was 13 years old. Lexie was
placed on probation and completed it. Three months later, she was
back in trouble and on probation.

Those years still haunt Linda.

"It was horrible. I was sick at home fretting," Linda said. She
remembers just staring out the window, worrying about Lexie and not
knowing where she was. "It's one of the major points we've discussed
in counseling. She put me in that place and I couldn't do anything."

Lexie said, "It makes me so sad. I can't imagine me looking out a
window and not knowing where my son is. I regret every moment I left
her worrying. That's what drug and alcohol abuse will do to you. It
is the worst disease."

Her father, brother and mother have been hurt in different ways by
her abuse. Her brother, she said, has been her best friend.

"I've hurt him, too," she said, adding, "I'm lucky to have a family
who cares about me."

Not giving up

Juvenile Drug Court has helped Lexie mature and its staff and
counselors helped her control her emotions and handle her anger
management issues, Linda said. Her daughter was out of control, to
the point the family did not know where to turn, she said. She said
she believes teens like Lexie are in pain and do not know how to
handle it.

The determination to change did not come easily, Lexie said. She did
chose to voluntarily enter Juvenile Drug Court in August 2006 but she
resisted the program at first because it was so strict. Lexie found
she had to change her mindset. Before, she focused on friends and
drugs, she said. What she found in juvenile court was structure,
discipline and caring case workers, she said.

She has learned how to find ways to handle setbacks, how to express
herself and deal with her pain.

Lexie also sees the need to continue her recovery and plans to
continue her counseling sessions with Break Free in Aurora.

"Before, I used to just give up," she said. "If I thought I couldn't
complete it, I gave up. I would have one thing go wrong and instead
of fixing it, I added more problems and it snowballed. (Now) if I was
to ever have a problem, I deal with that one problem.

"I think it's great they do kids in drug court because that's where
it starts. It's about peer pressure," Lexie said.

'A celebration'

Inside the courtroom a few minutes later, Lexie stands in front with
16th Circuit Judge Wiley W. Edmondson and Katie Studt, Juvenile Drug
Court coordinator, for an informal presentation before Edmondson
convened court and dismissed her.

The judge called in the half-dozen or so teens waiting in the lobby
for their court appearances.

"This is a wonderful day, and I am so happy to have you here,"
Edmondson said. "This is not court. This is a celebration.

"I want you to see there is light at the end of the tunnel," the
judge tells the teens enrolled in the drug court. "Juvenile Drug
Court is about nothing less than changing the rest of your life."

Studt gave Lexie a gift certificate and said a few words about the
young woman.

"Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing to do," Studt said.
"Lexie has shown true strength to anyone who knows her. We have seen
her go through hard times that other people may not have been able to
do."

Edmondson, too, presented Lexie with a card and a journal to
encourage her writing, a talent she rediscovered through the program.
He said he has been proud to be the judge on her case because she is
a great person.

"We are all very proud of you," Edmondson said. "We know in the
future it won't be all rosy, but there will be successful times."