By Steven Stilt
Kaskaskia College held a vocational school graduation ceremony on Thursday morning at the Centralia Correctional Center, recognizing individuals in custody who have completed the culinary arts, warehousing and distribution, basic construction operations and/or construction operations programs.
Several KC officials and members of the college’s board of trustees were in attendance, as were representatives from the Illinois Department of Corrections.
College President George Evans congratulated the honorees and told them they are a part of the KC family. Evans tells WJBD/WSIQ news that school officials are proud of the graduates and he hopes that following their incarceration they can apply what they’ve learned from the programs.
In addressing his fellow graduates, student Keishawn Jefferies encouraged them to view their accomplishments as a stepping stone to greater things.
The vocational program at Centralia Correctional Center is open to those who have already obtained a high school diploma or GED, according to IDOC Adult Education and Vocational Services Manager Maria Miller, who notes that the correctional center provides GED services to individuals in custody who do not already have one.
Miller says IDOC officials aim to help individuals in custody improve their lives and to reduce the rate of recidivism through the program. She adds that IDOC’s cooperation with Kaskaskia College on the vocational programs has been a fantastic relationship.
Graduates listen as Illinois Department of Corrections’ Maria Miller speaks during Thursday’s ceremony.
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Graduates recognized on Thursday included:
Culinary Arts I — Eric Cancel, Jason Gil, Keishawn Jefferies, Ventreal Lewis, Daniel Mayen, Louis Moore, Nicholas Nikolovski, Walter Pena.
Warehousing and Distribution — Justin Abbott, Raymond Bannister, Christopher Cook, Les Davis, Elijah Gebre, Jason Gil, Thomas Harvey III, Joseph Jackson, Damon Jones, Ventreal Lewis, Winston McClure, Jerod Milian, Joshua Mohring, Walter Pena, Runaldo Ramsey, Corey Ray, Raul Romero, Christopher Sandifer, Victor Silva, Robert Stewart, Derrick Terrell, David Walker, James Warren, Telly Young.
Basic Construction Operations — Raymond Bannister, Robert Buford, Thomas Glore, Danny Guzman-McInnis, Travon Hughes, Winston McClure, Curtis McCoy, Daniel Perez, Perrin Reuter, Derrick Terrell, Jeremy Winter, Telly Young.
Construction Operations — Raymond Bannister, Robert Buford, Les Davis, Danny Guzman-McInnis, Travon Hughes, Curtis McCoy, Perrin Reuter, Derrick Terrell, Dustin Weaver, Telly Young.
Graduates applaud during Thursday morning’s Kaskaskia College vocational program graduation ceremony at the Centralia Correctional Center.
