Lake County Jail Inmates Earn GEDs

Six Lake County Jail inmates participated in a graduation ceremony March 20 to celebrate successfully completing the GED program through the College of Lake County.

There are Diego Flores, Martice Wallace, Margarito Lopez, Montrell Randle, DeAundre Maynard and David Rodriguez.

The graduates worked on course work at their own pace. Once they were ready, they took five exams required by the State of Illinois. Instructors from the College of Lake County’s Adult Education Department, along with volunteer tutors, taught the inmates during two-hour sessions Monday through Wednesday. 

Attending the March 20 graduation ceremony were Sheriff Mark C. Curran Jr., Chief Brian Keller, Chief Jennifer Witherspoon and Deputy Chief David Wathen along with a classroom of current GED students.

The Lake County Jail has been participating in the GED program with the College of Lake County for nearly 30 years. While the average inmate is in jail custody for two to three months, the last three years averaged 69 inmates obtaining their GED. Many more inmates begin the GED process and complete their GED at the College of Lake County after their release from custody.

In the past two years, one inmate graduate was awarded a scholarship to attend the College of Lake County and successfully completed a course of study there. Another recent graduate received recognition and an award for being the highest scoring graduate in Lake County and the second highest in the state that year.

Submitted by the Lake County Sheriff's Office