Mill and cabinetmaking students at the Lewis Unit used their CTE skills to help a local family. Offenders constructed cabinets used in the home built by Diboll Unit students through the Lufkin Statewide Architectural Barrier Removal (SABR) program.

A reading program at the Terrell Unit Education Library used certificates and bookmarks to encourage offenders to check out additional books. More than 50 percent of participants who signed up completed the program and read at least five books, Principal Janet Gaston said.

Industry standard certification for welding was earned by Windham and Lee College students at the Wynne Unit. Windham students received "Wheels of Learning" industry certification, while Lee College students were presented certificates from the American Welding Society. Both certifications represent the achievement of professional standards recognized by the welding industry.

Writings by literacy student Kenneth W. of the Eastham Unit have been published this spring in "The Harvester" and "Missionary News," religious publications.

"When I came to Eastham, my writing improved because the teachers at Eastham have helped me develop my skills," he said. "I feel a sense of self worth to be able to reach out and help someone through writing."

Gifts and decorations for a Huntsville women’s shelter are displayed by special education students at the Estelle Unit. Director Ruth Knight (front center) of the SAAFE House accepts the gifts. She is shown with instructor Mary Kruppa.

Commercial truck driving students at the Wynne Unit display certificates from Lee College. The students earned 15 college credits and a valid Class A Commercial Driver’s License after successfully completing an 18-week program. Their training included driving simulation videos, instructional videos and on-the-road driving and testing in a sleeper truck. Completion of this course makes these students eligible for truck driving jobs upon release, with starting salaries averaging $26,000 per year for heavy-duty drivers. Instructors Mac Armstrong and Doug Freeman are shown with the drivers.

Filberto "Bert" Reyna of the TDCJ Board of Pardons and Paroles spoke to CHANGES and Turning Point students at the Boyd Unit. Reyna, who is one of the newest members of the Board, explained how the Board operates and how cases are reviewed. He also discussed the cost of incarceration to society in terms of victims and monetary concerns, and he prescribed the power of positive attitude and the desire for change.

Film production is the method instructor Ray Lehrmann chose to teach his Career and Technology Education (CTE) class safety practices, reading skills, self confidence and team work. The Central Unit's Diversified Career Preparation (DCP) class has been filming a documentary on the safe handling of 17 cleaning products made at the unit's soap factory. 

"Everyone has a part in making the tape," Lehrmann said. "We worked three weeks on the script and staging. Roles were cast, duties were assigned, and the students practiced reading their parts into a tape recorder for practice.

"While teaching their peers important lessons, my students have improved their reading skills and gained self confidence by reading in front of a camera. They have also learned the meaning of working together for a positive goal."

Job fairs at WSD campuses are helping offenders prepare for future success, with guests telling students about employment opportunities, work ethics and the need for training and education. "Windham Career Week" at the Coffield Unit attracted speakers from several cities to assist offenders in preparing for future job success. Participants included Southwest Automotive of Tyler, Trinity Contractors of Grand Prairie, the Department of Human Resources in Palestine, and the Texas Workforce Commission in Austin and Tyler.

The Powledge Unit and Project Rio invited area businessmen and criminal justice officials to speak about job hunting. Topics covered were preparing and dressing for interviews, using newspapers in a job search, and filling out applications. Guests included representatives of Ranger Air & Heat in Palestine, Exodus Ministries in Dallas, the Palestine Herald-Press, TDCJ's Parole Division, and TD Industries in Dallas.

At the Skyview/Hodge Unit, students attended "The Occupation Connection" and met a variety of employment specialists. CTE instructors talked about their trades and the importance of good attitudes and work habits. Other speakers came from the Palestine and Tyler Parole Offices, Reliant Energy, Project RIO, the Cherokee County Sheltered Workshop and a local landscape business.

"Chicken Soup for the Soul" is publishing a story written by offender Robert Stone, who was a CHANGES student at the Boyd Unit. Stone’s story focuses on his "Recipe for Changes": Courage, Humility, Attitude, Now, Gratitude, Everything, Seek.

CHANGES students at the Darrington Unit met with Don Everett, president of Fort Bend County's Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) program. Everett shared the latest statistics involving state and national drunk driving fatalities and life-altering accidents. 

A study of finance, investments and the stock market by Ramsey I Unit students resulted in literacy gains and local recognition. Students from Don Armand's Literacy III class excelled in the Adult Division of The Houston Chronicle's Stock Market Game. The offenders finished first, second and third place out of 96 teams from Houston-area schools.

The contest was played for 10 consecutive weeks, with students learning how to manage financial investments. Student teams each invested an imaginary $100,000 of capital, developing it into a portfolio. The sum of stock purchases and sales was then calculated to determine the contest winner, whose portfolio showed the greatest growth.

"Each participant learned important lessons in how our economy works," Armand said. "This activity enabled them to interpret a portion of the newspaper which they had previously ignored as unintelligible. It also reinforced lessons on mathematics, economics and current events. "

A parenting seminar sponsored by WSD at the Gist State Jail is being used to enhance a new Papas and Their Children (PATCH) program. PATCH encourages positive father-child relationships through additional weekend visitation privileges, with WSD students selected by TDCJ for participation.

While the WSD seminar focuses on topics such as child development, discipline, solving family problems, and bonding with children despite separation, PATCH gives confinees a chance to spend time with their children in "hands on" activities. These include working on homework, talking, watching videos of family activities, and taking care of the child for a brief time without a mother's presence. The WSD seminar prepares confinees for PATCH visits and provides follow up discussions.

Special Olympics received support from welding students at the Jester III Unit. Offenders designed and built a barbecue pit with materials supplied by Alvin Community College. The pit was then auctioned with proceeds going to help children with special needs.

Literacy instructor Paula Nordt of the Retrieve Unit uses special occasions such as Valentine's Day to encourage creativity in her students. 

"Students created valentines for veterans which included brief messages thanking the recipients for their service," Nordt said. "Some students wrote a personal message about a family member who had served or died in a war." 

The cards were sent to the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Houston for distribution to patients.

Students also participated in a valentine design and writing contest. Winners received a certificate and photograph.

A job fair at the Stiles Unit brought valuable information to students who are close to parole. Participants included the Small Business Development Center, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Social Security Administration, Lamar State College Port Arthur, Shepherd's Uniform and Linen Supply, and the Construction Coalition. Also included were Project RIO, TDCJ's Parole Division, the Parole Board and others.

Darrington Unit Warden Kelvin Scott congratulates offenders who completed the Janitorial On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program. The offenders learned to maintain heating, air conditioning and hot water equipment. They also learned custodial and preventative maintenance including stocking supplies and making minor repairs. Successful completion of OJT programs can assist offenders in getting and keeping jobs upon release. OJT is offered through Project RIO in conjunction with WSD.
 
 

Poetry contest winners at the Gist State Jail are shown beside a school display of haiku, cinquain, and other forms of traditional verse created during a recent writing contest. Top poets received library passes and dictionaries and were invited to read their writings at a graduation ceremony.

Literacy students at the Retrieve Unit display the award-winning cards they created in a class writing contest.

A variety of woodworking projects are testing the skills of construction carpentry students on the Briscoe Unit. The offenders have built a model house frame (on a one-inch scale), birdhouses, a gazebo and a model picnic table, with each project taking approximately 150 hours to complete. 

According to instructor Steven Markell, the most challenging project the students complete is framing a building according to blueprints.

The bricklaying/stone masonry class at the Allred Unit has been creating a variety of useful projects under the direction of instructor Danny Beard. Students build wishing wells, barbecue grills, garden walls and mailboxes while learning to mix mortar and finish products with professional touches.

Homebuilders at the Stevenson Unit are assisting Habitat for Humanity in Cuero. Shown is Fred Anderson’s construction carpentry class with the 1,094 square-foot modular home built at the unit.