Prison inmates graduate high school, 'couldn't be more proud'

Prison inmates graduate high school, 'couldn't be more proud'

(Ravell Call, Deseret News)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Graduating from high school is not an easy feat, especially when a person is taking classes while serving time in prison.

Hundreds of Utah prison inmates have conquered their pasts and the difficulty of classes to walk across a stage and receive their high school diplomas.

“Some people might not think it’s that big of an accomplishment to earn your diploma in prison,” said graduate Trista Chandara. “I say it’s something I couldn’t be more proud of.”

Friends and family of the inmates gathered Wednesday at the Timpanogos Women's Facility to celebrate their loved ones’ big achievement.

“My mom always told me, the best thing that you could ever do is get your high school diploma, get your high school diploma, get your high school diploma, graduate Brandon Carrier said.

Many of the inmates previously dropped out of school, so getting a high school degree was the last thing they wanted to do when they entered prison.

“I really rebelled against it at first,” said graduate Sarah Close. “I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to have anything to do with it, really.”

Charlene McClure agreed.


“Some people might not think it’s that big of an accomplishment to earn your diploma in prison. I say it’s something I couldn’t be more proud of.” - Trista Chandara

“I didn’t care about doing it," she said. "I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t think I needed it.”

But all of them agree that hard work and perseverance pays off.

“Oh, I feel good,” McClure said. “I feel like I’ve actually done something good in my life.”

“I’ve grown a lot and I’ve changed a lot,” Close said. “It feels good.”

This big achievement in their lives inspires many of the graduates for the future: “I’m going to go further my education and make a strong foundation for me and my daughter," graduate Ashley Lagerquist said.

But no matter where the graduates go after getting their diploma, they're reminded to look forward.

“It’s not about our past today,” Chandara said. “It is about us becoming who we were meant to be.”

Graduates are not the only ones who say they've gained something from this experience. The staff at the prison academy says helping inmates finish high school and making a difference in their lives is rewarding in itself.

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