Thirteen inmates spent the afternoon getting ready in Unit 6 of the Athens-Clarke County Jail.
They chose suits, donated by local churches, paired them with matching dress shoes, and readied themselves to celebrate their graduation from the Re-Entry Success Jail Resident Program.
The program helps jail residents transition back into their communities. For six weeks, Dustin Carter, Zachary Morris, Cameron Stockton, Derrick Rucker, Tracy Brown, Jonathan Nash, Kyle Freeman, Charles Chandler, Rick Wallace, Christopher Martin, Darius Pittard, Gregory Mouzayck, Travis Dicks, and four other men — who have since been moved due to release and updated sentencing — lived together.
Keith Sims, Athens-Clarke County Public Information Officer, said “they have been policing themselves.”
They have also been working to engage in classes, create art, learn how to play chess, complete college-level coursework, and even earn a GED.
On April 2, they stood before Athens-Clarke County Sheriff John Q. Williams, their instructors and members of the sheriff’s department to celebrate their accomplishments.
The group includes men from all walks of life, from those who struggle with drug addiction to Morris, a University of Georgia graduate and former professor, who is still called “Professor” by his peers and program leaders.
One of those leaders is Shane Sims, the founder of Principles Over Passions, who was also incarcerated at the age of 18.
Sims said he particularly resonated with Re-Entry graduate Gregory Mouzayck.
“In the first few classes, he was very stand-offish,” Sims said. “It may be interpreted as a little antisocial, but the reality is that when you go through so many traumatic experiences, you develop a defense mechanism where you protect yourself behind this mask. I knew exactly what that was.”
Mouzayck also had a lot to take away from his time with Sims.
“He’s an ex-convict as well,” he said, “that really means something to me.”
It’s like wow, someone who made it. They made it out of the revolving door of prison, probation, things like that.”
Mouzayck said he has been in and out of prison for about 10 years, and he’s never been in an environment like this one. He said from inmates to staff, he has a real connection with everyone in the Athens-Clarke County Jail.
Toward the end of the ceremony, Williams got emotional when speaking to the graduates. Just before everyone got their plates of food, he made his way to each graduate, looking them in the eye, asking for their name, and offering a handshake, one by one.
Alanna Jacob is a senior studying journalism at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.
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