From The Express
In recognition of the county’s hardworking employees, the Centre County Board of Commissioners proclaimed April 2025 as National County Government and Centre County Employee Appreciation Month.
April was designated by the National Association of Counties to highlight effective local government programs and raise public awareness of their roles and responsibilities.
In Centre County, nearly 600 employees work to improve residents’ lives through programs that promote community health, safety, cultural vibrancy and economic resilience. Nationally, county governments are one of the largest groups of employers in the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, local government workers account for 14 million employees.
During the proclamation, all three county commissioners took time to thank and recognize the dedication and effort of Centre County’s government employees.
“Our employees are really impressive in how they bring a lot of empathy, care and compassion to the work that they do,” said Commissioner Amber Concepcion who also recognized their professionalism and expertise in navigating the complex regulations of local government.
“The county is involved in your life from the moment you are born, to when you get married, to when you move on to the next world,” said Centre County Administrator John Franek, Jr., whose department oversees the majority of county staff.
Speaking directly to the employees, he conveyed his heartfelt appreciation for their incredible dedication and hard work in serving the county and its citizens.
“Your commitment to our community often goes above and beyond. As public servants, you play a vital role in making our county a better place, and we are grateful for your resilience, professionalism and passion for serving the public,” he added, thanking them for their unwavering service and positive impact they make everyday.
Commissioner Steven Dershem thanked Franek personally for his service, saying the commissioners place their trust and faith in him and employees like him
“It’s a weighty responsibility, but at the same time, it is an honor and privilege to work with some really amazing people to make the services in Centre County available to everybody,” he said.
The commissioners also unanimously passed a proclamation designating April 2025 as Justice Education Month in Centre County. The Criminal Justice Planning Department, in coordination with Penn State’s Restorative Justice Initiative (RJI), organized the proclamation of Justice Education Month.
Dr. Brandy Henry, assistant professor of education at Penn State specializing in rehabilitation and human services, spoke to the commissioners about various programs taking place throughout the month. These initiatives aim to educate the public on the crisis of incarceration and its far-reaching impacts while building support for educational movements in carceral settings.
Justice Education Week marks the beginning of Penn State’s College of Education’s month-long celebration of Reentry Awareness Month, which runs from April 1-30, 2025.
Henry outlined several key events, including seminars led by PhD candidates Divine Lipscomb and Ibrahim Rivera, who will share their personal journeys from incarceration to higher education, shedding light on the barriers faced by formerly incarcerated individuals and pathways to success. Other discussions will explore Penn State’s long history of prison education and highlight a new degree program at SCI Benner.
The college is currently kicking off Rising Scholars: A College Pathway Program for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, a three-day college preparation event at Penn State.
Henry also announced that the keynote speaker for Justice Education Month will be one of the stars of Orange is the New Black, one of Netflix’s most-watched original series.
Dascha Polanco, known for her role as Dayanara “Daya” Diaz, is an ambassador for the Innocence Project, an organization dedicated to “freeing the innocent, preventing wrongful convictions, and creating fair, compassionate and equitable systems of justice for everyone,” according to their website. She will be speaking on campus on April 24 in Sparks 121 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Concepcion emphasized that events like these highlight the capacity of individuals who have experienced incarceration to transform their lives.
“Centre County government is really dedicated to this mission of helping people who have been involved in the criminal justice system to have opportunities to turn their lives around,” she said. “There can be really great things ahead of you, even after that experience.”
“Centre County Government has been on the forefront of criminal justice now for a number of years,” said Board Chair Mark Higgins, who specifically highlighted the work of Pennsylvania’s specialty courts, all four of which Centre County proudly utilizes.
Last year, the county’s Criminal Justice Advisory Board was honored with the Best Practices Award for its success in minimizing recidivism.
“A lot of folks don’t appreciate the fact that everybody that comes into our jail comes out, usually within just a few months,” said Dershem. “We have that small opportunity to give them the tools to be successful so they don’t reoffend.”
For more information about Justice Education Month and its programming, visit ed.psu.edu/justice-education-month.