Listening

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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. an offender
    • ex. He is a young offender who stole a bicycle.
  2. certified
    • ex. He attended a course to become a certified chef.
  3. mentorship
    • ex. The senior staff members provide mentorship to help new employees learn their jobs.
  4. give back
    • ex. Many people want to give back after getting help.
  5. a sentence
    • ex. The judge gave the thief a five-year prison sentence.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed two new laws to support people in prison who work as firefighters. One law raises their pay, and the other keeps fire camps that train young offenders to become certified firefighters. California runs 35 of these camps with local fire departments, where people learn how to control wildfires.

Earlier this year, more than 1,100 prison firefighters helped stop wildfires near Los Angeles. They were from the Youth Offender Program, which trains prisoners under 25 to fight fires and gives them education and mentorship. The program began in 2023 and has changed many lives. One of them is Damien Rubalcava. He said he once caused trouble in his own community, but now he feels it is his time to give back.

The pay of prison firefighters now matches the national minimum rate of $7.25 (about ¥1,100) per hour during wildfires. Before this, they earned as little as $5.80 (about ¥880) to $10.24 (about ¥1,500) a day. The program also helps them reduce their sentence, work outdoors, and learn skills for jobs after release.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.
Photo Credits: The Associated Press

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Educating Young Offenders

  • Many young offenders join programs that teach skills, like firefighting, to help them change their lives. What do you think of these programs? Discuss.
  • How do you think the community might respond to young offenders after they complete a training program? Discuss.
  • Imagine your city starts a program that trains young offenders to work in important jobs in the community. Would you support it? Why or why not? Discuss.

Giving Back to the Community

  • Damien Rubalcava, a prisoner, wants to give back to his community. What do you think of his intentions to give back? Discuss.
  • What do you want to do to give back to your community? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, how important is it to give back to the community? Discuss.