July 15, 2019 – Last Friday, ten students received their high school diplomas at a commencement ceremony held on site at the Westchester County Department of Correction.
Family, mentors and other invited guests rose to their feet as the students filed into the jail’s Albert Memorial Chapel, clad in bright blue caps and gowns while ‘pomp and circumstance’ played.
The ceremony began with an invocation by Evangelist Vicki Mills and opening remarks by Dr. Michelle Darby, principal of the jail’s Sprain Brook Academy. Fighting back tears, Darby took time to showcase the accomplishments of each of the ten graduates, noting that the SWBOCES educational team and the Department of Correction’s staff form close bonds with the young men and women, caring for them as if they were their own Darby noted that one of the graduates, Dashawn H, 18, of Mount Vernon, recently passed five Regents examinations in the span of a single week.
Correction Commissioner Joseph K. Spano then addressed the graduates, stating: “Westchester County commits a tremendous amount of resources to support you in your path forward. When you came here, you could have simply waited out your time but instead availed yourselves of these many opportunities offered to you. Do not get complacent with what you have accomplished today; it is not the last but instead the first of many steps along your journey.”
Spano then offered the dais to Brooklyn-based gallery owner and artist Richard Beavers, who gave a powerful key note address in which he detailed his involvement in the criminal justice system and, ultimately, his journey to become one of the most recognized African-American gallery owners in the country.
Beavers spoke about being born to a 16-year-old single mother, who placed emphasis on his education, travel and spirituality in his formative years. As an adolescent, Beavers succumbed to poor decisions and other societal factors present in 1980s New York City, including drug sales, multiple jail bids and street violence. While sitting in a Baltimore jail cell separated from his family, Beavers committed to extracting himself from the environment that played into his bad decisions; he returned home and got an entry-level position with MTV Networks. While the road was by no means easy, Richard prevailed and, in 2007, established the Richard Beavers Gallery, a contemporary fine art gallery that showcases pieces that depict life in an urban environment. He told the students “There’s a saying: God looks out for babies and fools. You are neither. As you sit here today, you are far more prepared for success than I was when my choices placed me in a similar situation. Take what you have earned and use it to support yourselves, your families and your future.”
In closing the ceremony, First Deputy Commissioner Louis A. Molina discussed the holistic approach that Westchester County takes towards providing services to those in its care. Molina stated: “As an agency, we commit ourselves to this mission, from the Commissioner’s office to the frontlines, recognizing the importance that each stakeholder plays. This includes our uniformed staff and supervisors, our onsite service providers, spiritual care givers and many, many partners. Through a coordinated effort, we are breaking the cycle of incarceration and continuing to change lives.”
For many years, the County has partnered with BOCES to ensure that young offenders as well as adult learners have the opportunity to pursue a high school diploma while in jail. Inmates under 19 years old are considered a ‘special needs’ population by County jail officials based upon their cognitive, social and developmental needs. As a result, they receive a wide array of educational, therapeutic and recovery-related programs. Several of today’s graduates have already received acceptance letters to Manhattan College, and are taking college-level courses at the jail and at no cost to taxpayers.