The SCI Dallas Veterans Service Unit hosted its first Shining Light Reentry Academy graduation for more than 28 incarcerated veterans! On hand to honor, celebrate and participate in the ceremony were DOC Executive Deputy Secretary Kelly Evans, Project Manager Matthew Sheaffer, Executive Assistant Grace Franks and Statewide Veterans Coordinator Michael Carrington, as well as members of Dallas’ leadership team and the executive staff from the Shining Light Reentry Academy.
Shining Light and the VSU at Dallas partnered more than a year ago and have completed two cohorts of the program with the third currently underway. The Shining Light Academy is an evidence-based reentry program that transforms participants and prison environments resulting in lower recidivism, better neighbors and stronger communities. This was evidenced by the graduates’ personal testimonies and increased camaraderie on the VSU over the past year.
The three-phase program focused on individual strengths; helped them discover and develop positive mindsets, tools, and skills; motivated and equipped them for success in educational, vocational, and relational opportunities; offers a Continuum of Care - Incarceration through Reentry; and is facilitated by formerly incarcerated and trained practitioners.
The overwhelming positive results of this academy were reaffirmed through academy graduates rating the program a “5 out of 5,” and the entire graduating class said it saw a positive change in hope, prosocial intention and strength spotting!
Shining Light is available to general population inmates at SCI Coal Township and SCI Muncy. Dallas’ VSU was the pilot for the DOC, and it is in contact with other VSUs to bring it to them.
Testimonials:
"I like to try new things, and this was one of the best decisions I’ve made while being incarcerated. I had the stereotypical way of viewing things and now SL has opened my mind to see people differently – even CO’s. We all have a story." – AJ
"I learned to deal with a lot of different personalities and how to maneuver around them. I opened up a little more and found it’s ok to not be cool 24/7. It expanded my knowledge while working with different personalities and gave me new tools for wellness." – Red
"It was so valuable to speak with Dormen and Naomi to show me that there can be success after prison when they’ve been down for so long. After being down for 27 years, it’s important for me to see that we can be successful in coming back into society." – Dave