An inmate at the Harvey County Detention Center is the first to earn a high school diploma through the detention center’s education program since the program was reinstated last year.
The graduate, who asked not to be named, was commended at a small ceremony in the detention center on Wednesday.
The program was reinstated in September 2009 after being discontinued three years before, said Lisa Moore, director of Axtell Education Center.
The education program allows inmates without a high school diploma to earn credits toward graduating.
“Many that come through here, they’re not going to complete a high school diploma,” said Jeni Herman, instructor at Axtell who teaches in the detention center.
She said many inmates sign up for the classes for self-improvement or to earn credit toward a diploma they can finish when they are released.
She said Wednesday’s graduate left high school in his senior year, meaning he needed fewer credits to earn the diploma.
Sheriff T. Walton said he understands few of the inmates participating in the classes will complete their schooling during their incarceration, but is optimistic they will complete the requirements for a diploma upon release.
“If they get out and we’ve planted a seed, great,” he said, at the graduation ceremony.
The program is a series of computer-based classes held in the detention center four days per week, in one-and-a-half hour sessions.
“(It) isn’t a lot of time to get into anything,” Herman said. “The biggest challenge for us is time.”
Motivation, she said, is not a challenge among her students.
Each of the six to eight students in each class session has requested to be in the classes, and she said some even skip gym time to participate.
“So that shows they’re pretty committed,” Herman said. “There’s almost always a waiting list.”
The program is under the authority of the Newton School Board, operating as an extension of the Axtell diploma completion center.
“It’s just a different setting,” said Moore, who emphasized that students who complete the education program in the detention center earn a Newton High School diploma.
She said the students follow the same curriculum and are required to complete the same number of credit hours as Newton High students, as well as a senior exit portfolio and interview.
“It’s just a great opportunity for him to finish his education,” Moore said of Wednesday’s graduate.
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An inmate at the Harvey County Detention Center is the first to earn a high school diploma through the detention center’s education program since the program was reinstated last year.
The graduate, who asked not to be named, was commended at a small ceremony in the detention center on Wednesday.
The program was reinstated in September 2009 after being discontinued three years before, said Lisa Moore, director of Axtell Education Center.
The education program allows inmates without a high school diploma to earn credits toward graduating.
“Many that come through here, they’re not going to complete a high school diploma,” said Jeni Herman, instructor at Axtell who teaches in the detention center.
She said many inmates sign up for the classes for self-improvement or to earn credit toward a diploma they can finish when they are released.
She said Wednesday’s graduate left high school in his senior year, meaning he needed fewer credits to earn the diploma.
Sheriff T. Walton said he understands few of the inmates participating in the classes will complete their schooling during their incarceration, but is optimistic they will complete the requirements for a diploma upon release.
“If they get out and we’ve planted a seed, great,” he said, at the graduation ceremony.
The program is a series of computer-based classes held in the detention center four days per week, in one-and-a-half hour sessions.
“(It) isn’t a lot of time to get into anything,” Herman said. “The biggest challenge for us is time.”
Motivation, she said, is not a challenge among her students.
Each of the six to eight students in each class session has requested to be in the classes, and she said some even skip gym time to participate.
“So that shows they’re pretty committed,” Herman said. “There’s almost always a waiting list.”
The program is under the authority of the Newton School Board, operating as an extension of the Axtell diploma completion center.
“It’s just a different setting,” said Moore, who emphasized that students who complete the education program in the detention center earn a Newton High School diploma.
She said the students follow the same curriculum and are required to complete the same number of credit hours as Newton High students, as well as a senior exit portfolio and interview.
“It’s just a great opportunity for him to finish his education,” Moore said of Wednesday’s graduate.
