NEW YORK STATE LITERARY CENTER'S Incarcerated Education Program
2008 - 2009

The Building of Ladders
 
I have seen first-hand how the streets eat childhoods.
There is no discrimination
just randomly picking whatever is around,
devouring it in one full swallow, and
spitting out any bones of humanity. 
 
And I ask why,
and I rage at what I see,
and I cannot stop thinking why does this happen.
And I cannot stop thinking
why do we let this happen.
 
I have seen the dreams in your eyes,
way back where you think you have hidden them,
I see them trying to grow,
trying to find light.
Where is the ladder for your dreams to climb?
 
I think what I mostly do is try to show you how to build ladders
that your dreams will be able to climb.
    
Dale Davis

The third year of the New York State Literary Center's Incarcerated Education Program continued to be driven by the findings and success of its programs in Monroe County Jail and Monroe Correctional Facility, including the lower recidivism rate for those incarcerated youth participating in its programs.

At Monroe County Jail:

At Monroe Correctional Facility:

The writing of Monroe County Jail incarcerated youth with Dale Davis and The Jimmy Santiago Baca Library, Writing and Publishing Center were featured on the national Prison Arts Coalition web site http://www.nyslc.org/jimmysantiagoyr3.htm.

It began with the belief that learning is exciting and that a library of books relevant to incarcerated youths' identities, histories, with inspiration by those who have been incarcerated and who have turned their lives around through writing is important. It began with the belief that a space where incarcerated youth can come and read and write and be human, a place where the dreams in their hearts can grow and be nourished as they learn technology skills will increase literacy.

Dale Davis

Writing is at the center of NYSLC's work with incarcerated youth https://www.nyslc.org/studentwriting.htm.

Rochester City School District Superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard visited NYSLC's classes at Monroe County Jail and asked the incarcerated youth what an ideal school would be like to them. The incarcerated youth wrote in response to his question http://www.nyslc.org/studentinmate0809.htm. The incarcerated youth in NYSLC's classes, also, shared their reflections on their home schools with Dr. Marilynn Patterson Grant, Rochester City School District Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Leaning, when she visited the program.

The incarcerated youth at Monroe County Jail worked with Dale Davis to write and illustrate books for their children.

They, also, created a play, "I Stand Here Before You" with Dale Davis. David Shakes cast, rehearsed, and directed the play which was performed at Monroe County Jail by incarcerated youth on July 30, 2009.

David Shakes

On "I Stand Here Before You"

Working on this play, I learned how to express my feelings without anger. This was a time to cool out, think, and express myself on paper. I found a real passion I did not know I had. I learned education is a key and knowledge is beneficial. It's too bad everyone does not get the chance to express himself or herself and find a true passion.

I found my dreams and put them on paper. This made me determined to go back to school and become an asset instead of a statistic or a clown. 

I liked it that I was expected to work, respected, and appreciated. 

We all worked together. In "I Stand Here Before You." We testified. We are making ourselves visible as more than a charge, more than a number, more than a statistic of African American males in jail. We are using our minds and our voices to speak to you and to say we do exist in the world. We are part of the world and our community. 

We want the chance to succeed.

Edward Williams

Incarcerated youth at Monroe Correctional Facility worked with visual artist Margo Muto to design and create a mural, Who Made Rochester, A Historical Mural, reflecting the history of the Rochester https://www.nyslc.org/historicalmural.htm. The mural was hung in the conference room of Monroe Correctional Facility. Amy Kirby Post, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Howard Wilson Coles, and Mildred Johnson are featured in the mural. The youth and teachers worked with Dale Davis on a publication to accompany the mural so that the content and ideas in the mural could become part of the GED instructional program at Monroe Correctional Facility.

At Monroe Correctional Facility, percussionist and steel drum specialist Ted Canning again worked with incarcerated youth in NYSLC's classes on ensemble drumming, found instruments, introduction to steel drums, and steel drum band music.

A festival cut of Second Verse: The Rebirth of Poetry http://www.2ndversefilm.com/, directed and produced by Carl D. Brown of San Francisco, was donated by the director / producer for a screening for incarcerated youth in NYSLC's classes at both Monroe County Jail and Monroe Correctional Facility with an invitation extended to the incarcerated youth to write about the film.

NYSLC's Incarcerated Education Program was featured for the second time at the NYS Association of Incarcerated Education Programs (NYSAIEP) Conference.

Professor James Vacca, Chair, Department of Special Education and Literacy C.W. Post College, consultant to District 79, Alternative Schools and Programs in New York City, and author of "Educated Prisoners Are Less Likely To Return to Prison" in the Journal of Correctional Education, presented a professional development session for teachers who collaborated with the New York State Literary Center in its programs.