Action is the foundational key to all success
-Pablo Picasso

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Smooth Sailing


Hey guys! Thanks for checking back on our blog. I am pleased to inform you that the program is running smoothly.  The course schedule was structured into four units for six weeks.

In the beginning there were a few bumps in the road. Some of the inmates acted disorderly and did not want to listen to Mr. Riebold, the professor of the class. A couple of the inmates did not want to take the program seriously and would not do their work. They were disrespecting Mr. Riebold and throwing trash around the room.

Because Mr. Riebold cares that these inmates are eligible to have a good future he had to intervene. He showed the students various videos on the Internet to show them the facts about recidivism, hoping to get through to them.

Another video was shown was shown to grab their attention. The video shows a how inmates in Haiti learned how to read and write better to then each other inmates. The videos were an eye opener for the students. The came in to the next class and sat down without any disruption.

We started off with a basic grammar and spelling lesson.  Some of the students struggled because they haven’t had any schooling in so long.  We gave them quizzes to practice their skills to see what they needed to work on. The lesson frustrated some of the students, but with the help of our generous volunteers, they were able to get one on –one- help.


Having volunteers make such a difference due to the time constraints we have on the class. Class only lasts for fifty minutes each day at 9:00 am and 10:00 on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. We also have classes Tuesday/Thursdays from 9:00 to 10:15 and 10:30 to 11:45. We are almost half way through the program, but we are always looking for more volunteers. Any help can make a huge difference in the future of one of our students.

At First, the students struggled to brainstorm good qualifications that possessed. However, our volunteers worked with them by giving them examples and make them see that just because they were in jail that they aren’t a good person. Once we broke through those struggles, they were eager to continue working on the cover letter and résumés.

All in the entire program couldn’t be going better. The students have connected with our volunteers. Even some of you guys have offered to help them find jobs after they are release.

If you would like to get involved shoot us an email or give us a call at (304) 536-2271

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