Afternoon on 'The Hill' Part II: Green Hill School superintendent talks staffing, recreation, healthcare

May 27-Editor's note: For the first installment in this two-part series, visit https://tinyurl.com/3st952d6.

On May 13, Eddie A. Zavala, a 38-year-old from Olympia, was sentenced to six months of partial confinement after pleading guilty to one count each of possession of a controlled substance by a non-prisoner and second-degree introducing contraband.

Prior to his sentencing, Zavala, a former Green Hill School corrections employee, had been accused of selling methamphetamine to an incarcerated youth in 2024.

As part of his plea deal, Zavala made an additional Barr plea to one count of possession of a controlled substance by a non-prisoner.

Zavala's case is just one recent example of prosecuted crimes originating from the Chehalis juvenile facility. Crimes committed, not by the incarcerated - though those exist, too - but by the staff.

Nicholas A. Judson, a 42-year-old former Green Hill employee from Centralia, pleaded guilty in March to one count each of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant, third-degree introducing contraband and abuse of office.

Judson, who was originally implicated - but not convicted - for his alleged role in receiving a food delivery order found to contain 1.3 pounds of THC concentrate, later admitted to providing candy to inmates. He received a suspended sentence.

Two weeks before The Chronicle's February visit to the juvenile facility, the Washington state Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) announced that Green Hill officials had reported contraband found at an employee's workstation to police.

At Green Hill, the offenses historically extend beyond contraband to include inappropriate - and criminal - physical interactions between staff and residents.

Amy M. Karns, a 53-year-old from Winlock, currently faces three counts of alleged second-degree custodial sexual misconduct with an incarcerated individual at the facility.

"The safety of young people in our care is our highest obligation and we remain committed to maintaining a culture at Green Hill focused on rehabilitation and no tolerance for misconduct," Harold Wright Jr., superintendent of Green Hill School, said in a statement the day before Karns' arrest in March.

Overcoming staffing woes

As of April 24, Green Hill School employed 248 security officer positions and 91 counselor positions, according to Wright. The total number of staff was 436.

At the time, Wright said the facility was looking to fill 46 vacancies for positions including security officers, counselors, cooks and nurses. The school had 12 hiring events in 2025.

Wright acknowledged that challenges remain when it comes to recruitment and retention in carceral settings.

"Overcrowding with an inability to hire and train staff quickly enough to match to the higher numbers of young people contributes to those challenges as they make the work environment more difficult," Wright said in an April email.

The superintendent said the time needed to fill a position is also a factor in recruitment, as well as the necessary training required. Upon hire, staff participate in a six-week "academy."

"We are limited to folks who live near Green Hill, and this is a hard job so pay becomes a factor," Wright added.

In an effort to boost hiring, DCYF in March released a video entitled "Day in the Life of a JR Counselor."

The promotional video follows an intake counselor at Green Hill throughout the day as he works one-on-one with incarcerated individuals, reviews case notes, participates in staff meetings, ushers students to class, and even helps prepare lunch.

The video, Wright said, is partly meant to show "what the work is really like day to day."

Despite the challenges, Green Hill was able to hire over 100 staff members in 2025, according to Wright. He noted that staff retention has also improved.

"We updated our hiring approach to focus on more targeted and experience-based hiring at Green Hill," Wright said. "This included hiring fairs, upfront background checks, facility tours, onsite interviews, and opportunities to talk with current staff."

According to Wright, Green Hill has also implemented a new staffing model that lets counselors "focus on counseling and case management" - not security tasks.

"In September 2025, we moved all JR Counselor 2 positions out of managing day-to-day activities so they could focus on providing counseling," Wright said. "This had a significant positive impact on the young people and staff satisfaction."

The change came after years of counselor shortages made worse by an overcrowded resident population. This led to "modified programming to support safe programming and safe staffing ratios," Wright said.

As a result, incarcerated individuals were unable to receive weekly counseling. In April, Wright said all counseling staff positions would be filled by May 18.

"I know there also has been bad press in the past, but we are working hard to highlight all the good work our staff is doing and the programs that serve the young people in our care," he said.

Recreational opportunities abound

By spring 2024, incarcerated individuals at Green Hill had full access to the campus's activities and wellness center, which features a full indoor basketball court, rock-climbing wall and gym.

Residents participate in 50-minute recreation blocks, though Wright said there are additional opportunities for individuals "based on program level and behavior," such as those at Level 4.

Level 4 residents can participate in up to three hours of daily recreation. This "honors" designation is assigned for exceptional behavior and program engagement.

"Young people have a minimum of one hour of large muscle activity per day," Wright added. "This can include running or working out in the gym. Young people also have access to recreation activities throughout the day during school or their schedule."

Other outdoor spaces are accessible beyond the recreation center, Wright said.

Activities are plentiful at the facility. Residents can participate in weight-lifting competitions, Magic: The Gathering card-game tournaments, intramural sports, ping pong, pickle ball, chess, gardening, movie nights and more.

Staff, meanwhile, have access to their own wellness room.

Improving healthcare

In October 2025, 14 plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Lewis County pediatrician and former Chehalis city councilor Isaac Pope for decades of alleged sexual assault.

The plaintiffs, now adults, were residents at either Green Hill School or Maple Lane School in Grand Mound during the reported abuse that allegedly occurred from around 1999 to 2020.

Pope, who was previously implicated in similar lawsuits against the state of Washington, has not been charged with any crimes.

One of the lawsuit's attorneys, David S. Vogel, alleged that Pope started administering the physical exams that included sexual assault at least as early as 1982, and continued them until his retirement from Green Hill in 2020.

Wright became superintendent in September 2025, years after the former physician's alleged abuse, but just a month before the current lawsuit was filed in Pierce County Superior Court.

During The Chronicle's campus tour in February, Wright highlighted improvements made to Green Hill's healthcare offerings, which now include semi-weekly dentist visits - up from one weekly visit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vision care was also reintroduced in February 2025, Wright said.

In addition to two primary care providers, Green Hill now has six mental health professionals on staff. Residents can access both cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, including in non-clinical settings, "like when staff are working in the units," Wright said.

The superintendent believes the past negative publicity "doesn't come close to telling the whole story of the work happening at Green Hill School."

"As the superintendent, I have come to understand that many of the young people at Green Hill School are seeking a genuine opportunity to change and improve their lives," Wright said. "Equally important, most staff demonstrate a strong commitment to the mission of DCYF and are working diligently to support rehabilitation, accountability and personal growth."

Looking forward, Wright said Green Hill is now better positioned to fulfill its mission.

"With continued focus, intentionality and commitment, it has the capacity to provide young people with a structured and supportive environment that fosters positive change and long-term success," Wright said.

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