Flagler County Jail officials celebrate first graduate of innovative GED program

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — A Flagler County Jail inmate made history Wednesday by becoming the first to complete a General Education Development program offered by Flagler Technical College.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

21-year-old Easton Perez was included in FTC’s graduation ceremony held Wednesday at Flagler Auditorium.

The program aims to provide inmates with the opportunity to earn their high school equivalency diploma during their incarceration. It’s designed to reduce recidivism rates and give the inmates the tools they may need to be successful upon their release.

READ: Tropical Depression 2 forms in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico; what does that mean for us?

See video of Perez accepting his diploma below:

VIDEO: Flagler County Jail officials celebrate first graduate of innovative GED program A Flagler County Jail inmate made history Wednesday by becoming the first to complete a General Education Development program offered by Flagler Technical Colle (Charles Frazier, WFTV.com/WFTV)

“We are incredibly proud of Easton Perez and all of the inmates who will follow in his footsteps to complete their GED in the future,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement. “Education is a powerful tool, and we believe that providing inmates with opportunities to improve their education can help them turn their lives around and become productive citizens.”

Other programs offered by the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility include vocational training and substance abuse counseling.

READ: Sheriff: Osceola County deputy aided ‘childhood friend’ accused of sexual contact with minor

The jail was recently honored with the American Jail Association’s Innovation Award for medium-sized jails across the United States. The award recognizes correctional facilities that have “developed an innovative and progressive approach that will help the industry as a whole.”

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

©2023 Cox Media Group