The Kentucky Community and Technical College System doesn't just provide post-secondary education.

It also provides GED classes for thousands of Kentuckians who don't have a high school diploma.

Some of those students include inmates in Kentucky's nine correctional facilities.

The instructors say earning the GED allows an inmate not only to improve their own lives, but to also improve the community around them.

This in our Education Matters segment.

From 2020 to 2024, we have awarded 4460 GEDs.

The inmates get to select to participate in the GED program, and our 14 colleges go actually to the jail or to the prison to provide the services is the GED preparation services.

So take a look at the first one to know what you're thinking through.

We usually do test once a month, so classes are all geared towards getting them ready to be to take that test.

Everybody's different, so they may come from a background of the head to get by to do a construction worker system, and they could do without a JD or high school diploma.

So that may be a little bit handier with the geometry part of the math.

They make them in a little bit easier for them to pick that kind of stuff up.

There's not really much to do here besides sit around and read sometimes, so they're very avid reader that may be better at the language arts part, and they're already pretty comfortable reading through long passages to find answers and things.

So all different kinds of strengths and things that they can bring into the classroom.

Ms.

Always be my favorite subject to have fun that keeps me interested.

I've actually been trying to get here, wanting to get it for the past five years.

It just I never got the time or took the time to actually try.

I've always wanted to be a veterinarian, so I'm gonna try to get into that field, if not something close to that field.

I feel like I've got some knowledge back.

Has been at school for so long.

I felt like a law student.

I feel like it's going to be really hard to do this, and I wasn't going to be able to, but the farther I got into it, I was proud of myself in Amaze that I did catch on to it that quick and was able to learn as quick as I did and remember now.

So would you agree?

I do consider it very important that we are a, well, welcoming, supportive atmosphere for individuals that may have barriers in their life.

We have had students that they have not had support in their life of somebody telling them that they can do it.

We are at least part of their support system and and encouragement cheerleaders somewhat.

And so those relationships make a big difference.

I'm so, so number one.

One of the big things you start to notice is students, when they first come in, very hesitant to even sign in, say hello, talk to you at all, because this is the sort of the atmosphere of a jail as you want to put up these barriers.

So part of it is I started noticing it and friendlier.

They'll say, hey, how's it going?

Ask me how things are going outside.

Like, what's the weather like?

And that leads into the class time because it's very difficult sometimes to say, Hey, I have trouble with something.

I don't understand this.

You can be made fun of for that kind of thing here.

And so they open up and say, Hey, I don't know how to do this math stuff, Help me with this.

And so that's a big thing is when somebody comes to you and says, I need help.

That's a really big relief on their part.

And so I try to jump in immediately and say, Well, let's get this over with this this knock this down.

Let's see what the next thing is we need to work on.

We do have quite a few students that once they get finished with, with their G.E.D.

and they have that complete, they are interested in going on to college.

And the majority of our students seem to go to Somerset Community College.

Once that's once that's complete.

And we try to help them be able to make that process as smooth, as smooth as possible.

I am going to go to CC and try to see what all they do offer and try to get into any program I can to help towards veterinarian or vet tech or anything to do with animals I'd be happy with and willing to try for it.

And I'm super excited about that because I've wanted it forever.

But I've just been waiting on G.E.D.

or a high school diploma.

Just being able to check that box on the application opens up all kinds of doors to allow these students to have good paying full time jobs that keep them out of the old things that they used to get into that got them here in the first place.

Sometimes across the state, we have over 290,000 that don't have a GED or a high school diploma.

And so it's very important not just for that individual, but for our state and the workforce for us to have this type of program.

A lot of the employers need people to work.

And so this it helps the workforce and it's an investment in people's lives which can be a generational change if they can shift their focus on on getting a better job or going on to school and changing their path.

Hopefully it will also make a difference in their family's lives.

That gives you a feel for yourself.

It makes you feel better about yourself and and actually getting especially if you've struggled in the past when they're not getting it, get it in either way for a longer sentence or if they're getting that soon, it's going to help them in the future.

It's super happy that I finally got it.

And congrats to her.

Casey and a dozen of her peers at Pulaski County Detention Center graduated last with their GED last Wednesday.

Once again, congrats.