Show Inmates at state prison graduate Mi Michelle c h e ll e Schmitt Contributing Writer Sixty-eight Sixty students graduated from this s semester who received their their degree e from within prison walls For 15 years this program has worked with inmates so that life after prison could be a little easier Men and women inmates have eagerly taken aken advantage of this opportunity to learn leam skills that will benefit them when they go back into the workforce About students earn their admittance to the program each semester through good behavior in the prison system The bottom line is that the recidivism rate o of the students goes drastically down said Mark Wheatley Wheatley has been the director of the incarcerated student program for the past 13 years Wheatley thinks the confidence up build-up that is attributed to learning new skills has helped to keep the incarcerated graduates living a legitimate lifestyle Alaina Stone said that the students involved are willing to work hard Stone teaches at the prison facility Stone has been instructing inmates for a little over a year I have one student who is enthusiastic for every single class said Stone She was a high school dropout and for her to be betaking betaking betaking taking college level classes is a real accomplishment Stone recognizes unique obstacles from teaching inthis in inthis inthis this atmosphere Students in the prison have limited access to research tools and no access to the Internet Stone has to work around the prison schedule so some students are unable to attend an entire class period Before Stone can enter the prison she must go through security check points that she says is a pain but not that big of a deal We have an excellent faculty who are dedicated and devoted said Wheatley Wheatley also notices some distinct difficulties in the strict guidelines the prison enforces Students have out-dated out books and andall andall andall all supplies used in the program must be approved Paper and pencils must be provided for the students by Wheatly said this is isa isa isa a great program but very costly The cost of supplies and paying the 20 instructors contributes to the high costs costs Last year we were able to pass a piece of legislature called the telephone surcharge said Wheatley This charge is added to the collect calls prisoners make when calling their friends fri and family An extra is added to each call so that friends and families of inmates help pay for the students education Paying for tools needed for vocational training has proven to be more than necessary Vocational programs include culinary art visual art architectural software and the recently added building construction The building construction program is focused on the fast growing female population in prisons As they took classes they could work on a home and see immediate results said Wheatley Because of their interest more women became interested Prisoners can take these skills they learn leam while being a student and use them to easily integrate in society We try to offer them thema a skill where they can earn a livable wage Graduation Continued on page 3 Prison i Graduation Continued from page 1 I said Wheatley Wheatley believes in the importance of giving the inmates a chance Those who participate must be motivated because they have to earn the opportunity to be in the program Many students are paroled and go on to continue their education at Wheatley said that the incarcerated student program changes lives Graduation encourages a lot of emotion as students feel their accomplishment The occasion welcomes very few people because the students must still finish their prison sentence According to Wheatley it itis itis itis is a very happy and tearful event Wheatley marks the success of the program with one important fact the percentage of the inmates who re-offend re goes down as their education increases I 1 truly believe that education is the key to success said Wheatley It promotes critical thought throughout all life globe a |