Ava, MO. – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office implemented an adult education and literacy program in February and two individuals have gained HiSET-certification as a result.
The HiSet is a GED-equivalency certification that replaced the GED in Missouri in 2014.
This program started when Sheriff’s Office Clerk, Stephanie Dering, offered the idea of providing HiSET certification courses to inmates. The proposal was accepted and Dering began volunteer work after-hours educating inmates.
Not long after this began, it was found a small number of employees also wished to obtain further education. Since then, one employee and one inmate have completed their HiSET certification.
We spoke to Sheriff Chris Degase about this program, and how he sees this program as a way to give inmates and employees the tools they need to succeed in making a better future for themselves.
