Framingham Public Schools is proud to announce that the COMPASS Program at Framingham High School has been selected by the Children’s League of Massachusetts’ Center for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ) as the recipient of the 2025 Thomas E. Coury Youth Justice Award. The Youth Justice Award is the CfJJ’s highest award, recognizing outstanding leadership and commitment to supporting young people who face some of the most significant challenges in our communities.

Developed in partnership with the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health, the COMPASS program at Framingham High School provides academic, social-emotional, and wraparound support for students involved with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Department of Youth Services (DYS). The program offers a safe and stable “home base” within the school, helping students navigate the challenges of frequent transitions, disrupted schooling, and trauma, while staying engaged and on track toward graduation.

Courtney Balacco, the Executive Director of Student Supports at Framingham Public Schools, said, “We are deeply honored to receive the Youth Justice Award from Citizens for Juvenile Justice. This recognition affirms the commitment of our Framingham COMPASS team to ensuring that every young person, especially those facing some of the most complex challenges, feels seen, supported, and valued. At Framingham Public Schools, we believe in doing everything we can to create continuity and stability for students who have often experienced disruption and multiple school moves. Supporting their sense of belonging and ensuring they have a consistent, caring educational experience is, and must always remain, our priority."

“The work of COMPASS is the first of its kind, and presents a model for a transformational approach in this State for how to truly address the deep and complex needs of DCF and DYS involved students,” said Kate Lowenstein, Program Director of CfJJ’s Multisystem Youth Project.