A Green Hill Graduation: First Cohort of Centralia College Students Celebrate New Degrees

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It’s a long walk from the barred gates of Green Hill School, through the security checkpoint and across campus to the decorated gym where the school hosted its first ever Centralia College graduation ceremony on Wednesday.

Inside, the atmosphere was exuberant as the graduates’ friends, family, teachers and advisers joined Green Hill and Centralia College staff and administrators in celebrating their success.

“I want to show congratulations to my guys,” said Mondrell Robertson, who graduated Tuesday with an associate in arts degree. “We know that everything we do, we make it look effortless, but I know how much of a hell it's been these last two years going through quarantines, dealing with staffing issues and just dealing with the stuff that happens when you get locked up.”

In his speech during the graduation ceremony, Robertson presented the statistics of incarceration in the U.S., stating that of 2.3 million incarcerated persons nationwide, 76.6% will reoffend after their release.

“How do we fix this? How do we help incarcerated individuals not rescind and not commit another crime? How do we help them be successful not just now, but after?” he asked. “For me this has been education. This is education.”

College classes at Green Hill School, a juvenile detention facility in Chehalis run by the state Department of Youth and Family (DCYF), began as early as summer of 2019 after state legislative work groups identified college as one of the main programs juvenile offenders were interested in, according to a DCYF spokesperson. 

Centralia College began a formal partnership with Green Hill in the spring of 2020, according to Centralia College.

“I think each of the … scholars understand the hurdles that it takes to do education in a different kind of environment,” said Elizabeth Grant, dean of corrections education at Centralia College, at Wednesday’s ceremony. “It’s a challenge for faculty, it’s a challenge for students, it’s a challenge for administration, but it is one well worth doing.”

The program started with student success courses and limited math and English courses, but has expanded nearly every quarter as enrollment in college classes continued to grow.

By January 2022, the courses available to Green Hill residents included everything needed to complete an associate degree.

“The program aims to help youth transition to college and job training programs, and improve their chances of success upon reentry,” said Centralia College spokesperson Amanda Haines in an email to The Chronicle.

Green Hill’s first Centralia College student to earn an associate in arts degree, Nathon Brooks, graduated in June 2022 and walked in the on-campus ceremony.

Wednesday’s ceremony was the first ever held at the school, but both Centralia College and Green Hill administration expect it to become an annual event.

“We started with about 10 students and are now averaging about 40 students a quarter,” said DCYF spokesperson Jason Wettstein.

“Enrollment in college courses has grown every quarter and the students are excelling,” said Haines.



 

Centralia College Graduating Class of 2023 From Green Hill

Information provided by Centralia College

• Anthony “Ali” Smith: Associate in Arts; received honors for Phi Theta Kappa, the President’s List, Capital Classroom, Reset, BFA, BSU, Progress Pushers and Made Men.

• Caya Lenay: Associate in Arts; received honors for Phi Theta Kappa, the President’s List, Capital Classroom and Made Men.

• Chisten Ativalu-Ford: Associate in Arts ; received honors for Capital Classroom, BFA, BSU, Progress Pushers, Made Men and ELC.

• Edgar Calixto: Associate in Arts and Certificate in Welding; received honors for Phi Theta Kappa, the President’s List, Capital Classroom, Reset, BFA, Made Men and ELC.

• Guillermo Padilla: Associate in Arts and Certificate in Welding; received honors for Phi Theta Kappa, the President’s List, Reset and Made Men.

• Lakendrick Butts: Associate in Arts; received honors for the Vice President’s List, Reset, BFA and BSU.

• Mondrell Robertson: Associate in Arts; received honors for Phi Theta Kappa, the President’s List, Capital Classroom, Reset, BFA, BSU, Progress Pushers and Made Men.

• Rodney Strickland: Associate in Arts; received honors for Phi Theta Kappa, the Vice President’s List, Capital Classroom, Reset, BFA, BSU, Made Men and ELC.

• Zachary Carver: Associate in Arts; received honors for Phi Theta Kappa, the President’s List, Capital Classroom, Made Men and TEPA.