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UTAH STATE PRISON -- Melissa Christiansen has been in and out of prison six times in the past 10 years.
Wednesday, however, she was the valedictorian of the South Park Academy class of 2009, graduating with both her high school and college diplomas. Christiansen said she did it for her 12-year-old daughter.
"I just wanted to give (her) something to be proud of," she told KSL News, clasping her diploma. "Today I'm that person."
Wearing blue and black robes over their prison jumpsuits, 360 inmates crowded into the gymnasium at the prison's medium security Timpanogos facility. It is the largest class to ever graduate with diplomas at the prison.
As they walked into the gym, family members sequestered to one side strained to pick out their loved one. A few hands shot up in an excited wave. Occasionally, an inmate's tattooed arm could be seen shooting up from the other side to wave back.
"For a lot of these inmates, they've never given their mom or dad a real chance to stand up and cheer for them," said state corrections spokeswoman Angie Welling.
Anthony Gilla's brother-in-law was getting his high school diploma.
"We're so proud of him," Gilla said. "Big time."
Prison officials say education is key to reducing recidivism and ending the cycle of career criminals who rotate in and out of prison. Christiansen said that when her daughter asked her "Mommy, do you hate school?" she decided to change. Once a maximum security inmate, she is now one year from terminating her sentence and she hopes to land a job in the construction trade.
Gill says getting a degree has helped his loved one.
"He's learned so much. He's changed his whole attitude around. It's really awesome," he said. "Sometimes, some people need these kinds of places, you know?"
E-mail: bwinslow@ksl.com
