Kids occasionally get in trouble. When they do, the Buchanan County juvenile office and the Boy Scouts of America want to give them a second chance.

“These aren’t criminals,” said Mike Flowers, director of Northwest Missouri Learning for Life with the Boy Scouts, a United Way agency. “They just made poor choices.”

For about 10 years, the local organization has been putting elementary through high school students through its juvenile diversion program. The 13-week program gives the offenders an opportunity to face reality and learn about the real world and the skills needed to succeed, Mr. Flowers said.

“That’s what I like about the program,” he said.

It begins when a child enters the court system. The juvenile office and judge may recommend the program to the offender and his or her parents. After a brief intake evaluation with Mr. Flowers, the student and parent will enter the 13-week program. Every defendant has a time frame in which to complete the program. If they graduate, whatever charge filed against them is dropped from their record.

Elementary-age children are entered into an eight-to-10-week session. Mr. Flowers said 99.9 percent of the participants are high-school age.

Several members of the community have taken an interest in the youths and the Boy Scouts program — from chief executive officers and business owners to teachers and other prominent community leaders.

During the year, the juvenile diversion program will take on 50 to 60 students. “Most parents want their kids in the program, but not every kid is a good fit,” Mr. Flowers said. “For one reason or another, the parent or the kid doesn’t really want to be there.”

The student is given the opportunity to graduate by earning points. A total of 1,500 points can be earned by attending sessions, doing 20 hours of community service, writing thank-you notes to speakers and through other participation.

“The volunteerism part really turns their heads,” Mr. Flowers said. “It’s great stuff.”

The program gives students the opportunity to not only have a second chance, but to learn what they need to do to become a productive member of society, Mr. Flowers said.

“They go back to school and have their head squared-on straight,” he said.

Jennifer Hall can be reached

at jennhall@npgco.com.