Incarcerated to graduated: Lemoore College helps students with imperfect pasts seek higher education

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Lemoore College is helping those who have made mistakes in their past set themselves up for a better future.

Theresa Steele is a proud Golden Eagle.

She's the student body president, she's completed her GED, one associate's degree and now, she's working toward two more.

"I got a lot of support here," Steele said.

She decided to go back to school after a conversation with her daughter.

She set big goals for herself but worried her past would potentially prevent her from reaching them, so she discussed her concerns with a faculty member.

"We were talking about some of the things I wanted to accomplish, but I needed to take care of my felonies that I had acquired. I got stupid when I was young," Steele said.

The faculty member she spoke with was Zara Sims the Director of HOPE, or Having Opportunity and Purpose through Education.

"Just because you made mistakes in the past, that does not describe who you are," Sims said.

Sims leads the Rising Scholars 2.0 program, which serves formally incarcerated students.

"We provide mental health counseling, zero textbook costs, free laptops and hot spots if you need them, academic counseling, of course, and advising," Sims said.

Sims encouraged Steele that she could be successful.

They worked to get Steele's prior felonies removed from her record and she has continued her education.

Now, Steele wants to give back.

She's an ambassador for the Rising Scholars 2.0 Program and wants to become a probation officer or work with youth on the Lemoore College campus.

"My end goal is to work with the youth either way and let them know there's someone there, always in their corner," Steele said.

Rising Scholars also has a Juvenile Justice program to work with incarcerated youth in Kings County.

They visit twice a week to get students enrolled in courses and support them with their education.

Steele says she hopes other students who don't have a perfect past won't let it stop them from getting their education.

"Don't let your past define you. Let the future define you. You define yourself. You don't let other people do it," Steele said.

In the year and a half that the program has been on campus, there have been 30 Rising Scholars 2.0s and nine Rising Scholars Juvenile Justice students.

For more information on the program, click here.

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