Ms. Kayleigh Bellido, a 2018 Milton High School Alumna, discussed her path and how she chose to become a Juvenile Probation Officer in Columbia County.
Ms. Bellido said that throughout high school, she wanted to be a doctor and took psychology class to work toward that goal. She added she liked to study how the human mind worked and was fascinated by it.
Her mentality stayed unchanged until she took Biology 101 in her first year of college at Penn State Hazleton and realized the medical world wasn’t for her, she added.
Ms. Bellido graduated in 2022 from Penn State Hazleton with a major of Psychology and a Criminal Justice minor. She then began working at Allenwood Penitentiary as a corrections officer.
Penn State Hazleton Psychology Professor Dr. Lisa Goguen recalled having Ms. Bellido in class.
“Kayleigh explored many options for herself during her years of undergraduate education,” Dr. Goguen said. “She made thoughtful choices to give herself experiences that would help her learn about her interests, strengths, and weaknesses.”
In her first position at Allenwood, Ms. Bellido said that she realized law enforcement was the field she wanted to stay in, and she applied to become a probation officer. She explained the requirements: you must have a bachelors in criminal science, training (that is provided by your employer) which consist of firearms academy, fitness training and to specifically train for juvenile probation for a week.
Ms. Bellido added that her work days vary significantly. One day she could be doing paperwork and another could be training and responding to emergencies. “Every day is different,” she said.
According to Ms. Bellido, a day could consist of interviewing juveniles and parents to gain background information, intakes, making visits to homes or placement facilities and training. “There is a lot more under the surface than one would imagine,” she added.
Ms. Bellido said that there’s so much to do in her line of work, but added her least favorite part would be the slow days of doing paperwork. Her favorite part is defense training and seeing the change and impact her work makes on the kids.
“Unfortunately, many adolescents who are on probation come from broken, abusive, or neglected households,” Ms. Bellido said. “One of the most rewarding things is knowing your kid feels comfortable and trusting enough to confide in you and seeing you’ve made an impact on their life.”
She said that high school prepared her tremendously providing her with experiences to relate to the youth. It aids her in dealing with complicated problems and understanding how the juveniles think, she added.
Milton Spanish Teacher Ms. Angela Hunter recalled having Ms. Bellido as a student. “She was a hard worker! She was creative and easy to teach,” She said.
Dr. Goguen also recalled Ms. Bellido’s work habits. “She worked with her mentors when she needed guidance but also worked hard on her own to find ways to give herself options,” she said. “This is what I hope for from students so that they can build skills and feel empowered as they move into their roles after college.”
For anyone thinking of going into this field, Ms. Bellido offers some advice: “Be open minded and receptive to the individual that you’re working with and try to see things from their point of view.”
