Prison Is a Blessing for Me

My name is John. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, to all graduates and to all visitors who are here for this one of a kind special event in our lives. It is an honor and blessing to stand in front of you to share my experience and insights on the College Education Behind Bars. But before that, I would like to first acknowledge and give thanks to our SETBI President Dr. Aland Mizell, and Vice President Attorney Susan Cariaga, for making this ground breaking program possible. We all know that a golden program like this needs lots of sacrifices. Also, I want to thank our Superintendent Sir Edgardo F. Mendoza Jr. for your continuing great support of the College Education Behind Bars Program. Tanglaw National High School Principal, our BuCor officers who make our education run smoothly and their friendly attitude, Ma’am Obenza, and of course our beloved Senior High School teachers. A program like this just doesn't help men stay on the right path, but helps us to become men on a mission to help others who are struggling and making the same mistake we did. SETBI to me means freedom, redemption, and opportunity; the freedom to achieve our dreams and goals. My life before SETBI’s College Education Behind Bars wasn’t good; my. mother works abroad and my father is a construction worker. I did not get much attention from my parents such as my emotional needs. Even though they meet some of my physical needs, something was missing in my life. I did not value education much when I was growing up. I did not have a role model in life. I gave up on myself during those years, and regarding my education, it didn’t seem like it was for me at that time. After dropping out of school, I joined a group. In 2018, at age 18, I was charged with homicide under the name of self defense. I went hiding for more than 3 years, but I surrendered to the police when I learned that I have a warrant of arrest. In 2021, I was sentenced to 6-12 years in prison. That’s something I have to live with for the rest of my life. When I heard about the College Education Behind Bars Program, I applied right away and I got accepted. When I was admitted to the program, I came to understand that I had created prison in my mind. College Education Behind Bars showed me how I could attain freedom. The College Education Behind Bars program helped me to realize not to let my past define me, who I am and what I can accomplish.College Education Behind Bars helped me to become mentally, physically, and spiritually free. I am no longer defined by the murder I committed in 2018 when I was 18 years old. Today, I am a student, not a criminal. I am a more than a PDL. Yes, I regret what I have done. I can’t change my past, but I can change my future. That’s what I focus on right now. I actually believe that the SETBI Model works. It helps so many PDLs to realize that they are bigger than their problem, that actual change is possible. College Education Behind Bars program gave me a second chance, a fresh start. It helped me to find purpose in life, redemption through education. That’s why the SETBI motto is “ Education is freedom”. I heard it said that we graduate from childhood to adulthood in our actions. I am an adult now and College Education Behind Bars helped me grow into the man that I am today .Ladies and gentlemen, killing someone is a not a blessing, being in jail or prison is not a blessing. As many of you see, prison is a very bad place to be and one of the worse place you can be. But now, College Education Behind Bars helped me to understand that going to prison is a blessing for me. Now, it looks bad, but it turns out to be a blessing for me because I never got to do anything like this on the outside. If I did not enter prison, I would not stand before you today. I would not meet the founders of this

great program, Dr. Aland Mizell and Attorney Cariaga, our great teachers, our officers, our great Superintendent Sir Mendoza. I always hear from Sir Aland that Superintendent Mendoza is very supportive of this program. Without your help and support I would not find myself. You all gave me a reason to live, gave me hope, helped turn my pain and frustration into the passion that helped me endure and helped me to realize I am bigger than my problem. Now, the good thing I have done may not erase the bad thing I have done. But a bad thing does not erase the good either. I heard, several times Dr. Mizell saying, if we learn from our mistake, it is no longer a mistake, it is a success. I made a big mistake in the past, I learned my lesson and succeeded, and here is the proof. Face it, we are not the same people we were when we started this path. I never thought I could stand in front of an audience and give a speech. Yet, thanks to my teachers, I am here standing before you, the product of SETBI’s College Education Behind Bars Program. If we can achieve what we have achieved here, we can do anything, anywhere. Let me end by saying that I am proud to be one of you, and thank you for the honor. SETBI College Education Behind Bars has shown us that we can be more than what were.