People incarcerated in Washtenaw County Jail earn their GED: "I was given the opportunity"
As many students in Michigan wrap up the school year, a group of individuals incarcerated at the Washtenaw County Jail celebrated earning their GED.
The jail held a graduation ceremony Thursday morning, during which the group officially graduated from the jail's IGNITE program.
Edenilson Osorio-Martinez will be leaving jail with something he says he didn't initially have. Osorio-Martinez says the knowledge won't just help him avoid the mistakes that landed him in the county jail; he'll also use it to help others serving time.
"I aspire to one day help others navigate the legal system in a language they are comfortable with by being an interpreter and a translator," said Osorio-Martinez.
Osorio-Martinez moved to the U.S. from El Salvador when he was 4 years old. He says he struggled in high school and never earned a degree. Being in the legal system made life even harder.
"It has been hard with getting my record tainted here and there," Osorio-Martinez said.
He says he never pursued a GED while on the outside, but he says the Washtenaw County Jail's IGNITE program was different.
"In here, I was given the opportunity, and the chance, and the time obviously to complete it," Osorio-Martinez said.
With his education, Osorio-Martinez says he sees himself returning to jail, but not as a reoffender, rather as a translator and advocate for those facing language barriers.
"I would like to, when I get out of here, pursue a degree in that, so I can come back to the system. Instead of being in here, I can be on the outside helping," he said.
It's a path A Brighter Way CEO Adam Grant can relate to. After serving more than 30 years behind bars, Grant is now leading an organization helping those formerly incarcerated reenter society, using the GED he earned while serving time.
"It gives you more keys to open more doors. I knew things were possible that I never thought were possible before," Grant said.
He says he sees the potential in Osorio-Martinez and how important it is for him to reach it.
"He brings a specific skill. Not only is he formerly incarcerated, but speaks another language and can interpret. These things are extremely important," Grant said.
The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office says that those who earn their GEDs in jail are less likely to reoffend, which not only helps reduce crime but also reduces the jail population and the taxpayer dollars needed to run it.
