Stone County inmates celebrate graduation from SMPDD Pathway Home 5 Re-Entry Program
STONE COUNTY, Miss. (WXXV)- For a group of inmates in Stone County, Wednesday marked the start of a new chapter.
Graduates of the Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District Pathway Home 5 re-entry program were honored for their commitment to personal growth and preparing for life after release.
For these graduates, this ceremony marks more than the completion of a program, it represents another step toward a new beginning.
The SMPDD Pathway Home 5 Re-entry Program helps participants prepare for life after incarceration with a focus on successfully reintegrating into the community. Program Administrator Chris Nixon said, “Once they sign up, it’s hard for them getting used to being in a class and showing up but once they do things get better for them and they start to see how helpful it is to them and how it will help them in the future, re-entry, and getting jobs afterwards, and the training they get from it too so it’s very beneficial. It’s very moving seeing them get to graduate today and receive their certificates, it’s just a next step for them to re-enter society and become a good and productive citizen and hopefully we’ll see them become leaders someday. I’d like to say to the public if you have a family member or friend that is incarcerated, that there is hope for them. There is training for them and programs like ours help them get re-entered and help them get back going in life. So, this is not the end, this could be just a second step in life.”
Family, staff, and community partners gathered to recognize the participant’s dedication and progress. Graduate Raytrell Jones said, “With the process of being in the program, it basically was a challenge for me. It’s just a step forward to doing better and just being a different person in life and just changing all together. It actually feels amazing because it’s just a step forward in life and I feel like I completed the first step. The second step and the biggest challenge will be me getting out there and applying myself and just applying the tools that they gave me in society. They were very patient, had very much grace, and it was just a challenging program but it’s on you. I recommend for people who are in a position like me right now, I’d recommend that you just take this program and go through with it and take that step.”
The graduation celebrated their accomplishments while marking the beginning of their next chapter.
