Youth Leadership in Action: Oconto County 4-H Relaunches Teen Court Program
Oconto County 4-H recently relaunched the county Teen Court program, creating a meaningful opportunity for youth to build leadership skills while making a positive impact in their community. Teen Court is a peer-led restorative justice program where trained youth volunteers serve as panelists to hear cases involving first-time youth offenders and offer them an opportunity to remove the offense from their record. Through this process, young people help determine constructive consequences that emphasize accountability, learning, and positive decision-making moving forward.
Following a period of limited activity, the program was intentionally rebuilt with a focus on positive youth development, strong training, and clear communication with community partners. Initial recruitment efforts resulted in 21 youth panelist applicants representing every high school grade (9–12) and all five school districts in the county: Oconto, Oconto Falls, Lena, Gillett, and Suring. Recruitment included outreach to local schools and youth-serving organizations, as well as visually engaging materials designed to introduce teens to the purpose and impact of the program.
To accommodate busy schedules and make participation possible for all interested youth, the program coordinator offered an online training session as well as an in-person session. This approach ensured panelists had flexibility while still gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to serve effectively.
Recently, thirteen youth participated in an in-person panelist training, designed to build on the online session and prepare them for their roles in Teen Court. During the session, participants explored restorative justice principles and discussed the importance of fairness, professionalism, and confidentiality. Interactive activities encouraged youth to examine assumptions and biases, practice communication skills, and build confidence in asking thoughtful questions during court proceedings.
Youth also participated in mock trial activities that allowed them to experience the entire Teen Court process firsthand. These practice scenarios helped participants better understand how the program works and how their decisions can support accountability while encouraging growth and second chances.
Evaluation responses reflected the impact of the training. On a four-point Likert scale, 100 percent of participants (n=13) agreed or strongly agreed that they felt prepared to serve as Teen Court panelists and that participating in mock trials helped them better understand their roles. Youth shared meaningful takeaways from the experience, including learning “how to ask good questions” and realizing that “everyone has a story and a reason why they are where they are.” When asked to describe how they felt leaving the training in one word, participants responded with prepared, excited, educated, comfortable, insightful, confident, and enthusiastic a strong indication of the positive energy surrounding the program’s relaunch.
“I was really excited to see how thoughtful, insightful, and empathetic this group is,” shared the program coordinator. “I’m looking forward to seeing in action and watching them learn and grow while providing an amazing service to our community.”
As the Teen Court program continues to grow, youth voice will remain an important part of shaping future training and outreach efforts. By empowering teens to take on leadership roles in a restorative justice setting, with Oconto County Teen Court the Oconto County 4-H program is helping young people build empathy, communication skills, and a deeper sense of responsibility to their community.
If you would like to learn more information about the Oconto County Teen Court program or Oconto County 4-H program, please visit our website at this link: https://ocontocounty4h.extension.wisc.edu or contact Oconto County 4-H Educator and Teen Court Coordinator, Aimee Elkins at aimee.elkins@wisc.edu.
