PTLEA set to graduate second class from Corrections Leadership Career Academy

Tallahassee Community College's Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy (PTLEA) will graduate the second class from its Corrections Leadership Career Academy at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 24. The ceremony will take place at the PTLEA Dining Commons.

The graduating class of 13 consists of students from both East Gadsden and West Gadsden High Schools. Each student began the Corrections Academy during his or her senior year of high school. Twelve of the students graduated from high school in May while one, Jasmine Proctor, was part of the Class of 2007. Only 17 at the time she entered the Academy, Ms. Proctor was not old enough to participate in the firearms training. Determined, she returned a year later to complete the final segment of her training.

The Corrections Leadership Career Academy was established in 2006 through one of four SUCCEED, Florida! grants that TCC received from the Florida Department of Education. Graduates of the Academy have successfully completed 11 blocks of training that include communications, firearms, defensive tactics, first aid, legal, correctional operations, emergency preparedness and interpersonal skills. With 532 hours of instruction under their belt, the graduates are now eligible to take the State Certification Exam to become a certified Corrections Officer in the State of Florida.

Additionally, each of the graduates will be awarded a Criminal Justice Education Assistance Scholarship, established to assist graduates of TCC's postsecondary adult program for law enforcement or corrections. The scholarship will cover the cost of tuition as the students pursue their associate of arts degree at TCC. In order to utilize the scholarship, the students must enroll at TCC by the Fall 2009 semester and complete their associate's degrees by the end of the Summer 2011 semester.

Ms. Fran Barber, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections, will be the guest speaker.

Graduates of the Corrections Leadership Career Academy, by high school, are:

· East Gadsden High School – Jessica Bryant, Kelvin Frierson, Jr., Brandon Jones, Osric Moody, Sheddrick Nealy, Jasmine Proctor, Brandon Walker

· West Gadsden High School – Tyeshia Battles, Chauntese Eggleton, Travis Hinson, Telisha Manuel, Ta'Shaundria Roberts, Brittney Rumph

The Academy is a collaborative effort between the Gadsden County Schools, Florida Department of Corrections, Corrections Corporation of America, Inc., WorkForce Plus and PTLEA.

For more information on the Corrections Leadership Career Academy, contact Audrey Noble by phone, (850) 201-7097, or email, noblea@tcc.fl.edu.