25 Wisconsin prisoners graduate with associate degrees through becoming program

Graduate Martin Medina sits all through his commencement ceremony. Medina became selected because the pupil speaker. 

WISCONSIN branch OF CORRECTIONS

Martin Medina, 39, grew up in poverty, surrounded by using violence and drug recreation.

At 14, his buddy died from gun violence. presently after, his father turned into imprisoned and deported for selling drugs to help Medina's family. At 18, Medina turned into despatched to prison himself for recklessly endangering defense, and again for tried homicide a number of years later.

"faculty grew to become an afterthought and survival became the center of attention," Medina observed. 

no longer a single member of his household â€" together with his clan â€" had attended school, not to mention got a degree. but on Friday, Medina changed that pattern, incomes his affiliate diploma as part of a growing to be Milwaukee enviornment Technical college software that presents faculty classes to prisoners.

"This school application is one probability that many people never idea became viable," Medina talked about in his speech right through a web graduation ceremony Friday. "It offered us the ability to take one of the most lowest features in our lives and turn it into a positive." 

Medina was one of 25 Wisconsin prisoners who graduated with associate levels in either arts or science, a major step toward rehabilitation that more and more inmates are taking every 12 months, officials stated. Fourteen of the guys and girls graduated with honors.