Mission Statement 

Judge Dinkins Educational Center empowers at-risk and justice-involved youth by providing pathways to economic success and productive life choices through hands-on vocational training. 

Vision Statement 

The Judge Dinkins Educational Center believes in the potential of every person to transform themselves, their families, and their community. 

Who We Serve 

Students are referred to the Judge Dinkins Educational Center (JDEC) through several pathways. The primary and most effective referral source is Davidson County Juvenile Probation Officers. When a young person is adjudicated in juvenile court, a probation officer may refer the student to JDEC if the program is deemed an appropriate fit. Students may also be referred by high school counselors, particularly when a student is at risk of aging out of Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) without graduating. In addition, families may directly refer their child to the program.

Students enrolled at JDEC range in age from 15 to 19. Due to staffing limitations, the program serves no more than 15 students at any given time. During the 2025 calendar year, JDEC served a total of 26 students, the majority of whom were young men (23).

In January 2026, the program celebrated

the graduation of its first female student. JDEC does not collect or track data related to race or ethnicity. Any student who is eligible to attend MNPS is also eligible to attend JDEC.

To meet the growing demand for vocational training, the Judge Dinkins Educational Center moved from one classroom at the McGruder Center in North Nashville to a multi classroom space at McKendree United Methodist on Church Street in downtown Nashville. 

Impact and Outcomes 

In 2025, the Judge Dinkins Educational Center worked with twenty-six adolescents who were justice involved. The average length of participation was seven months. The school provides construction training, construction education, high school education, weekly counseling, and soft skills training.

• Of the twenty-six students, eight graduated in May. Seven of the eight graduates are working in the field of construction. With the transient nature of some of the families, the program has lost track of one of the graduates. 

• Unfortunately, seven other students were either asked to leave the program or elected to leave the program. All seven students have re-engaged with the juvenile or adult justice system. 

• There are eleven students from 2025 who were enrolled in the program in 2026. ● Graduates of the program have worked at Bouen Solutions, Express Plumbing, Orion Construction, and two independent contractors in Antioch. 

Partnerships 

The Judge Dinkins Educational Center has several strategic partners which allow the organization to 

fulfill its mission. 

• For food services, the JDEC has an agreement with the Nashville Food Project. They provide meals three times a week for students. The meals include fruit, vegetables, and an entree. For 13 students, they provide meals at a cost of approximately $105 a week. 

● Flint Global provides a soft skills curriculum as well as a teacher. The curriculum includes such subjects as budgeting, cooking, banking, interview skills, etc. ● Students work towards their high school diploma daily while at the JDEC. Three days a week, Monroe Harding offers a certified teacher and tutors to each student for two hours. ● Franklin Motor Company provided two vans to help transport students in the morning. Due to the distance in Nashville, the vans do not provide transportation for all students.