Show I II Convicted gg n I Marc Young Campus Editor Isaac Padilla once a prisoner prisoner prisoner pris- pris oner and Salt lake Lake Community College student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent at the correctional facility is now struggling to build his career family and anda a position in society Padilla took automotive classes at the prison satellite campus some time after his sentence sentence sentence sen sen- sen- sen tence several years ago There he learned the fundamentals fundamentals fundamentals funda funda- of mechanics auto-mechanics until he was released December 16 2003 Following the release Padilla continued his schooling at the Redwood campus There he struggled to fit into the class rhythm I started brake and suspension suspension suspension sus sus- sus- sus pension in January said Padilla but it was ing Out here it is different I dont don't know why They were the instructors like do it kind of learn on your own they'd help out once in a while I was used to getting shown everything first and then practice on my own Instructor Ed White said many students have camaraderie camaraderie camaraderie cama White said the student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent to teacher relationship is more solid in prison Padilla offers his own explanation as to why the See Prisoner continued on page 2 Prisoner continued from front page teachers are different They prison teachers get on you said Padilla Youre not in class and they go after you That's w what hat I like Despite the help students receive said Padilla if an inmate lacks the desire to learn they will not pot get far Padilla chose to study mechanics auto-mechanics of all the options the school proffers He said he like to work on cars before he was sent to jail Not every prisoner who takes akes the program will change the way Padilla has Youre not going to change unless you change your heart said Padilla Its up to the person you know now Im I'm a different person then when I did my crime He concludes that the same is true no matter who you are or where you might study Said Padilla its true even with people on the streets going to college right now maybe they dont don't want to do it and their parents are kind of forcing them they're not getting good grades You know kow know its it's not just people locked up or in prison that's pretty prett much standard anywhere Before prison Padilla didn't have any skills under his belt although he always did well in school He accredits the program as giving him an opportunity to work after prison After a month of searching with mostly tenuous results to show he finally landed a ajob ajob ajob job as a mechanic Padilla hit the ground running As soon as he got out he started looking for Tor work He had many people turn him down The probable probable proba proba- ble reason he believes is he was recently released from prison He got the job said Padilla thanks to his positive attitude Along with different teaching techniques Padilla cites another reason it is difficult to start over In prison automotive students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents have tools provided for them Students m in a regular regular regular reg reg- ular automotive class are required to provide their own tools For inmates ex-inmates this can prove to be a difficult difficult difficult cult transition Vince Badger assistant professor of automotive said all students are required to bring their own tools along with the regular classroom supplies Badger told that Padilla approached him with a positIve positive positive pos pos- outlook but he found later Padilla didn't fulfill all his assignments and other tasks He told of how frustrated frustrated frustrated frus frus- he was He wasn't happy with me said Badger but he simply did not fulfill my policies Padilla spent the last six years in prison there he decided to change Now a family is in the future plans for the prison ex-prison student He loves to play with kids Its up to the person to change Im I'm a different person then when I did my crime Said Padilla you have to say to yourself its it's up to me I want to change changer |