This spring officers of the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex were honored at a pinning ceremony. New officers who graduated from their training program received certificates, senior officers were promoted and given new pins:

Promotions:

Sergeant Gonzalez, Pedro

Sergeant Kelly, Ashley

Sergeant Luna, Angelic

Sergeant Ortiz-Miranda, Arturo

Sergeant Renft, Logan

Sergeant Stevenson, Maurice

Sergeant VanReenen, Rebecca

Lieutenant Baldwin, Matthew

Lieutenant Good, Brian

Lieutenant Miller, Zachary

Lieutenant Muniz, Melissa

Graduates:

Officer Aviles, Sera

Officer Beecham, Ferdie

Officer Boyette, Melissa

Officer Clarke, Leslie

Officer Douglas, Alexandria

Officer Moritz, Kathleen

Officer Patterson, Gary

Officer Schuman, Clarence

Officer Umscheid-Houser, Elijah

Officer Villalona, Justin

Officer Wagner, Sarah

Officer Willard, Angela

There are countless members of our KDOC family that have served in the military in defense of our great nation.

On this day that we remember and honor the fallen men and women of the military who sacrificed their all for our country, we pause, reflect, and spend a moment of silence at 3pm.

This is how one of our own reflects on Memorial Day: Sgt. Phil Thull of Ellsworth Correctional Facility.

20 residents from Lansing Correctional Facility received their high school diplomas as part of the Lawrence Gardner High School program. Congrats to these men for their hard work and determination as they hope to use this milestone achievement as a stepping stone in their lives and future dreams.

22 residents from the Topeka Correctional Facility donned their caps and gowns as part of graduation ceremonies with Washburn University and Washburn Institute of Technology. 12 residents received their Associate’s degree of Liberal Studies, 7 received their 4.0 certificate from Washburn Tech, while 3 received their Kansas State High School Equivalency Diplomas. Congratulations to all the women for their hard work and determination to achieve this important milestone on their journey to improve their lives and futures.

A non-profit organization aimed at building community in prisons across the U-S through music education and writing songs is having a positive impact with residents at Lansing Correctional Facility. Musicambia is spearheaded by Grammy award-winning violinist, Nathan Schram. Together with several of his music friends from New York combined with musicians from UMKC, Musicambia holds 5-day workshops that culminate in a concert of songs written and produced by residents.

Our congratulations to the following residents for their hard work and determination to successfully complete and earn their Associate Applied Science in Business from Donnelly College:

Isaac Beltran *+
Danny Clark *+
Ben Hinchsliff
Charles Jones +
Travis Orton
Aaron Smallwood *+

* Member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

+ First-generation college student

Aaron Smallwood gave the graduate address.

John Hewitt Program Director.

This past Mother’s Day weekend, three organizations within Lansing Correctional Facility (Arts in Prison) (Growth Ministries) (African Awareness Organization), invited four women to share their experiences and feelings of what the impact of having a loved one incarcerated has done to them and their families. Their stories help open the eyes of residents that the hardship of serving time has ripple effects back home.

Congrats! Colby Community College/Norton Correctional Facility Graduates! 9 Telecommunications graduates with 7 of these gentlemen graduating with a 4.0 GPA! Awesome!

Hutchinson Correctional Facility held it’s summer graduation ceremony as 53 diplomas or program certificates were awarded to residents on the completion of their courses. Studies have shown that education is a key factor in helping people stay out of prison once they leave.

Filling the newly created position of Wellness Manager, Katie Herzberg has her hands full as she helps to identify and develop programs for individual and collective wellness of staff within KDOC. Her work will bolster the Peer Support program as there is a need for many workers to talk with someone about a traumatic event or secondary trauma they’ve endured. There are other benefits and programs she hopes will come to fruition soon.