January 2023 Newsletter
As the leader of the Petey Greene Program I see myself filling many roles including administrator, educator, financial analyst, and most importantly coach. Given the upcoming NFL Super Bowl, I find myself thinking about what it takes for a team to work together for months with one goal at the forefront of their minds and what is it that helps those who succeed rise to the very top?
Some believe it’s the star quarterback, running back, or wide receiver that drives and motivates a team to victory. I believe the secret sauce of success is for the team to truly work as one unit. On that team the coach may call the plays, but the execution and performance are from those who have worked hard preparing for the game and are committed to winning.
In my short time here at the Petey Greene Program I have come to recognize the enormous wealth of talent on our team. I have witnessed the commitment to helping those impacted by our justice systems with the incredible gift of education, mentorship, and friendship. The Petey Greene Program, through our staff and volunteers have built a strong front line of educational programming, created special teams centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as bridges to college that help individuals reach heights once unimaginable.
I am proud to be the coach of this amazing team. As I work to help steer us to success in all we do, I commit to remembering it takes all of us to succeed.
Jeffrey Abramowitz
CEO, The Petey Greene Program
P.S. Let's go Eagles!
Join us on February 9 for the first webinar of the Spring 2023 Justice Education Series
Join us on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at 6 PM EST for the first webinar of our Spring 2023 Justice Education Series: "The Black Family in the Age of Mass Incarceration." During the webinar, our panelists will help us understand the policies and practices that have harmed Black families while also helping us grapple with the impact of mass incarceration on Black families and communities.
Read our report on the 2021-2022 College Bridge Program
We are thrilled to share our newest report on our College Bridge program. Check out the impact we had in the 2021-2022 academic year with our College Bridge students, the progress we have made and how we hope to grow moving forward. During the 2021-2022 academic year, we piloted new regional college bridge programs in New Jersey and Massachusetts, while continuing to replicate and refine the Washington D.C. pilot. Our first pilots focused on fostering the students’ reading and writing skills. Beginning in Fall 2022, we have been piloting College Bridge math courses to complement the writing courses.
Student Spotlight: MCI Framingham Students
Our College Bridge and academic readiness classes are kicking off for the Spring 2023 semester! Some of our students enrolled in our writing, reading, and critical thinking course at MCI Framingham shared why they decided to sign up for the class and what they are looking forward to.
Volunteer Spotlight: Jill Knapp, College Bridge Instructor
Jill Knapp is an Emerita Professor of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. Now, she brings her love for teaching to a new role: College Bridge math instructor at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey.
She recognizes a gap in the availability of math and science courses that are taught inside correctional facilities and hopes to be part of changing that: "Choosing to not teach math and science in prison education courses is discriminatory because it is telling students that they aren't fit for that kind of field. Of course, not everyone wants to pursue it, but they should get to make that decision and have the chance to figure out what they are good at. I am grateful to have found a place where I can tackle this issue - the College Bridge program won't solve everything, but it is one way to be involved in that change." Jill credits the students she has instructed thus far with teaching her a great deal, too: "I've got to hang around with the best people I have ever known which are the students inside. In the prisons, students take care of each other. They help each other. During tutoring, the students who are doing well mix with the others who are not doing as well and try to support them. They speak to their fellow students with respect. Everyone contributes about the same amount and they don't talk over anybody. Watching how they interact you think, 'this is what you want in every classroom!' I was an okay teacher before - I feel like I am a great one now because of what the inside students have taught me."
Staff Spotlight: Chiara Benetollo, Director of Program Development
Chiara Benetollo is the Petey Greene Program's Director of Program Development and architect of the College Bridge program. Chiara became engaged with prison education while pursuing her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and was struck by the enthusiasm of the students but also the lack of educational opportunities and access to needed courses.
"The College Bridge program came out of a clear need: there is a gap between the skills that incarcerated students have when they finish high school or earn a GED and the skills they need to enroll in college. Through this program, we have also seen an increase in confidence which is just as needed for college success as those hard skills are. We're trying to create the conditions for incarcerated learners to become scholars and feel part of a learning community - it's bigger than just writing to get a good grade. We have to ask, what do you need to express your thoughts? What really makes a good writer?'" Chiara is now working on strengthening the PGP's partnerships with higher education institutions to establish clear pathways for college enrollment for students who complete the College Bridge program. She is also looking forward to continuing to expand the program by integrating technology so more students can access the courses. She notes that "incorporating technology will also allow students who transition from incarceration to the community to continue the courses they started and further their education once they are home.
Alumni News: In Memory of Ann Micou
We are mourning the passing of community volunteer Ann Micou. For many years, Ann was a volunteer tutor with the PGP at Northern State prison in New Jersey. Ann improved the lives of incarcerated students by applying her extraordinary gifts as a teacher to support their academic advancement, and importantly, restore their sense of dignity. Like her aspiring students, Ann understood the value of education and that it's never too late to begin again and she completed her Ph.D. at age 84. Thank you, Ann, for your service and your light. You will be missed. If you would like to donate to the PGP in Ann’s honor, you can do so here.
Monthly PGP Photo Contest!
We want to see what is happening around the PGP community! Submit any photos related to your involvement with the PGP to donate@peteygreene.org for a chance to be featured in next month's newsletter and to win a $25 gift card!
Donate while you shop!
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