When Cheyenne walked into the Clarke County Jail four and a half months ago, she thought she was stepping into another setback. Instead, she was greeted with a support system, new connections and eventually a diploma.
On Oct. 16, 22-year-old Cheyenne became the second jail resident and first female to earn her GED through the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office’s new partnership with Athens Technical College.
A General Educational Development diploma, or GED, is an alternative for individuals who did not graduate from high school but want to demonstrate they have a high school-level education.
“When I first got here, I wanted to get my GED,” said Cheyenne. “One of the main reasons I wanted to get it was so I could show my son that there is a better way. I have a 5-year-old son. So I wanted to show him the process.”
In addition to inspiring her son, Cheyenne has exciting plans for her future after she leaves jail.
“I want to do something bigger. I like helping people,” Cheyenne said. “One day, I’d like to start my own rehab or sober living program because of the experiences I’ve had, and I would love to help others. Getting my GED, I feel, is the first step.”
The Clarke County Sheriff’s Department was approved as a mobile testing site for the GED in June 2024, but due to logistics and staffing issues, the center was not operational until March 2025, according to Cindy Phillips, Clarke County Sheriff’s Office program coordinator.
Cheyenne studied for eight weeks before passing the exam using an electronic tablet provided by the jail that was loaded with GED preparation materials.
In addition to earning her GED, Cheyenne was among 10 women who graduated from the first Women’s Re-Entry Success Program on Oct. 3, 2025. The six-week program helps jail residents transition back into the community by offering classes in life skills, employment readiness and personal development. GED testing is separate from the Re-Entry Success curriculum, but Billups said she encourages any resident who has not earned their diploma to study and take the exam while in custody.
Both initiatives are part of Sheriff John Q. Williams’ broader effort to improve the lives of incarcerated residents through what he calls a “different perspective.” The Clarke County Sheriff’s Office now offers more than 20 classes designed to support inmates’ education, mental health and to set them up for success once released from jail.
“We were 40 and 50 officers down, and you had inmates who were in jail, who were incarcerated in cells for 20 to 23 hours a day,” Deputy Chief Frank Woods said. “We didn’t have an officer to get them out. The sheriff said, ‘I want to do something. We need to come up with a different way.’”
Not only are the different inmate programs helpful to keep the incarcerated residents occupied, but it improves their chances of staying out of jail once released. According to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Patroles, 1 in every 13 Georgians are under correctional control and roughly 1 in 4 inmates in Georgia are reoffended within three years.
Inside the Clarke County Jail, Cindy Billups spoke about the first group of women who recently graduated from the Re-Entry Success Program. A 26-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, Billups said she feels a deep connection to the women in the jail’s re-entry program and their determination to build a better future.
“They have actually told us, ‘I can’t believe you guys care so much,’ because we follow up with getting them into recovery shelters,” Billups said. “That’s my favorite part, because they’re happy in there. They don’t want to leave. Some of them have had a release date, and they’re asking the judges if they can stay.”
Each graduating cohort of the Re-Entry Success Program designs and paints a mural at the end of the six-week course to symbolize their growth and accomplishments. The mural serves as a creative outlet for participants, with each section representing a different incarcerated individual’s journey through the program.
“I think it’s a ‘God’ thing that I landed here. I’m not gonna lie to you like I never want to go to jail, but I will say that I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I’m actually glad I am in here, because I needed this,” said Cheyenne. “The whole thing just gives so much hope. I never thought I could do it.”
Other participants shared similar feelings about the sense of respect and encouragement they received from staff in the Sheriff’s Office.
“They look at us like human beings,” said Quinn, another woman in Cheyenne’s graduating class. “We actually call them our friends. So I know they’re gonna be a part of my life for the rest of my life.”
According to Billups, four men have begun studying for their GED test and two women are about to begin studying. In addition, the next Re-Entry Success Program cohort will begin in January of 2026.
Editor’s Note: Program graduates’ last names have been withheld to protect privacy.
Blake Daniel is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Georgia.
Show Comments (0)