By Sheri Trusty, Public Relations/Community Engagement Coordinator

On April 11, Deacon Titus became the fifth person to earn his GED through the Seneca County Jail’s GED program for inmates. The program, which is offered through a partnership with the Vanguard-Sentinel Aspire Program, gives inmates the opportunity to take GED-prep classes and the GED tests right at the jail.

Students learn math, science, social studies, reading and language arts from Aspire instructor Melissa Blair. She teaches classes twice a week at the Seneca County Jail.

“Our program also talks about career readiness and how to use technology,” Blair said. “I had a 72-year-old student at another jail who had never touched a computer before.”

Titus was honored for his achievement during a GED graduation at the jail. Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens presented him with his diploma and congratulated him on pushing through the hard work to earn his GED.

“Society functions through the educational process. Doors are closed without a high school diploma or GED, so this put you on the path of a better future,” Sheriff Stevens said. “The hard work was done by you, but a lot of people invested time and energy into your success.”

The GED program was implemented in the jail thanks to the efforts of Case Manager Grace Morehart. She created the program from the ground up to help Sheriff Stevens achieve his goal of bringing GED classes to the jail to give inmates a better chance at success post-incarceration.

Morehart reached out to the Aspire program and learned that the jail could not only offer classes but could, after meeting strict requirements, also become a GED testing site, giving students an even greater chance at success. The Seneca County Jail is one of only a few jails in Ohio that offers GED testing.

“It they can’t take the test until after release, they may not follow through,” Morehart said.

Any inmate can request to become a GED student, but sometimes, the timing doesn’t make that possible. Blair is glad Titus was able to join her classes and push through to the end. He will walk out of the jail with a stronger foundation.

“I’m proud of you. Be proud of yourself,” she told Titus at the graduation. “I appreciate having the opportunity to be a part of your success. Keep going. Keep running.”

Titus was thankful for the opportunity to earn his GED.

“It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t very hard,” he said. “I’m happy to get through it. I plan to keep going.”

Blair is grateful she can help bring the Aspire Program to the Seneca County Jail.

“I’m so thankful I get the opportunity to do this. The GED is hard. It’s not an easy test, and it’s nice to see students finish it,” she said. “They’re not a number. They’re a person, and everyone here at the jail treats them so kind.”