Graduation and Beyond

Our graduates - Stephanie, Barbara, Elaine, Kim, Stephanie, Leigh and Glinda

Graduation, the anticipated time and event, came on the evening of April 8th. We celebrated the accomplishments of seven women and celebrated them as well - women of courage and perseverence, who made a commitment to make changes in their lives and are doing it.

Since a number of those who read our blog were not with us that evening and follow the experiences of CWJC of Amarillo from other places in the country and the world, we have decided to add a number of pictures and share some of the activities of graduation day. For those who were there, we hope this provokes some good memories.

Activities for the day began with a special lunch at Park Place Towers for the graduates and the graduation speaker, Debbie Unruh. It gave them time for a level of interaction that doesn't happen at the reception following the ceremony, when everyone is engaged with family and friends. Since some of our graduates had known our speaker for a number of years, it was an especially relaxed and enjoyable time.

Immediately after lunch, we went through the graduation practice and then had the afternoon free to relax and get ready for the evening.

The chapel was full with 150 or more people to celebrate with our graduates. There were parents and children, siblings and other relatives, mentors, teachers, friends, volunteers, and people who supported the graduates and the program over this session with their prayers and gifts.

Although we started in the fall with eight women, only two of them, Barbara and Stephaine, completed the 26-week program. We experimented this year with a longer program because change takes time and we wanted to be part of their day to day support system over a longer period. Barbara's and Stephanie's last 13 weeks weren't always easy because we had to adjust some classes around their work schedules. But they persevered and had the satisfaction of completing something they had begun last September.

Our other five graduates came into the program in Jaunary of 2011. In order to give them the classes the other two had had, we abbreviated several classes from the fall term and then added some separate class times for them on Fridays. It all worked and we are grateful that because of several other plans developing -- an alumnae group and periodic continuing education -- we will be able to be a part of their ongoing support system.

Our guest speaker, Debbie Unruh, was invited to speak at graduation late last spring, when she was still a part of the Amarillo community. We first knew her as Captain Unruh, the creator and implementor of the one-of-a-kind Prisoner Reentry Education Program (PREP) at Randall County Jail. It is a program for a select group of men and women serving state prison sentences, who are chosen for this study and work release program because of their commitment to change.

People committed to change is what we want in CWJC. After Joe Ann and I began teaching the men in the PREP, Captain Unruh permitted two of the women to enroll in CWJC in January of 2010. They graduated a year ago and others from PREP entered CWJC in September of 2010 and again in January of 2011.

Debbie left the Randall County Sheriff's Office last summer and moved to Austin after being appointed by Governor Perry to serve as the Ombudsman of the Texas Youth Commission. Her career has taken her to a different place and a different job, but her commitment to helping women and men get a fresh start is as intense as ever. She was an appropriate and good choice for our graduation, since the majority of our graduates this year are a part of PREP. And, of course, her challenge to them was so fitting and meaningful.



Each of the graduates took a little time to speak and in their sharing we heard words of gratitude and spiritual growth, the commitment to continue what was begun in their lives at CWJC, and a desire to give back to the program and to help those who come behind the. Carolyn Terrell sang two perfect songs for the occasion, The Journey and Press On.

We are now beyond graduation and together we journey on. Two of our seven graduates are being baptized on Easter Sunday. Five of the graduates are still attending the Tuesday noon Bible study. (The other two are working at that time.) Relationships with mentors are strong. Some are meeting at the Family Life Center for exercise together once a week. Those who are not working yet are helping with the painting and other redecorating tasks at Buchanan Street every Thursday.