Prisoner Dedication Leads to Education

The college program at Lakeland Correctional Facility offers inmate-led college-prep classes to other inmates, including several English and math classes, Introduction to Psychology, Study Skills, and several business classes. 

To run these classes effectively takes the commitment and dedication of a group of men who are willing to volunteer their time to help other men educate themselves. These men have developed the curriculum for each class, organized and maintained the materials, and facilitated and tutored the classes, all as volunteers. 

Each of these men bring their own strengths to make these classes a success. Gordon put in over a thousand hours developing the English class before he transferred to another facility. Scott brings his attention to detail in organizing copies of all the curriculum and handouts, and he developed and teaches most of the math classes. Then there are the Daves. Dave E. is humorous and a workhorse, helping Scott with the huge task of organizing curriculum and managing student lists. Dave M. is heavily tattooed with long hair. He's a biker type who is quiet and attentive. He's very helpful in several classes, grading papers and tutoring students, as well as helping with curriculum development. Dwight and Country co-facilitate the psychology class, and Dwight is one of our resident business facilitators. Anthony, another business facilitator, also facilitates one of our English classes with Destro, who is highly skilled in English rules. Don, Dave E., and Melvin D. facilitate the Study Skills class. Chris brings his long and deep experience in Fortune 500 companies to head up the small business class and advise on other business classes. Bruce, who helped to start the whole program, now advises and provides assistance wherever he's needed. I facilitate English and help with Intro to Psychology and the math classes in addition to tutoring for several subjects. 

Besides these, there are at least a dozen other men who tutor and assist in various ways. Part of the goal of what we do is to develop new leaders and facilitators as we prepare the men for the goal of taking actual college classes. Also essential to our success is the generosity of the Saint Peter Claver Prison Ministry who donated hundreds of textbooks to help us run classes. 

For many in prison, time is spent watching T.V., playing chess or cards, and generally wasting time. But for many men at this facility, educating themselves has become a valuable use of time through these college-prep classes, all because of the dedication of a small group of prisoners who care.