PRISON inmates have been helping to give students new focus in a hard-hitting initiative designed to make them aware of the consequences of their actions.
Police, firefighters and magistrates court and prison officials also joined the annual Focus day staged at Risedale Sports and Community College, Hipswell, Catterick Garrison.
One session saw three women serving sentences for murder, £11m money laundering and drugs offences talk about life inside and the life-decisions that landed them there.
Prison officer for the past 29 years, now serving at Askham Grange, York, Graham Holgate explained how prison was full of people who had committed crimes, many mental illnesses and those who had inadvertently made the wrong choices.
He said: “You’re not special. Any of us could end up in prison. If you are present at a crime, you could go to prison. If you are on your phone and driving, then bang, there’s an accident and you could go to prison.”
One prisoner explained how she had been jailed because her business partner had laundered £11m through her bank account.
Another said she had been convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs but had only been in the house that was raided to buy furniture.
While a third was serving life for murder because her boyfriend had stabbed someone but she had been there and tried to cover it up.
Student Evie Beckett said: “The prisoner I sat next to was just a normal person who had done something wrong.”
The charity Prison Me No Way organised a street scene showing how situations can turn violent because of alcohol.
Students were also given a taste of the court process with a mock trial and shown the consequences of arson and hoax calls.
On a positive front Year 10s were helped with interview techniques and advised on careers.
The day involved the full curriculum of subjects including English, art, design and food technology, drama, maths and geography. It also centred on IT skills, business and enterprise.
It was recorded by a team of young photo-journalists who produced a special newsletter by the end of the day.
The reporting team comprised Alanya Singleton, 12, of Catterick, Shaina-Leigh Cleminson, 11, of Catterick, Abigail Smith, 12, of Colburn, Jenson Goodson, 12, of Catterick Garrison, Iona McClelland, 11, of Catterick Garrison, Annie Stott, 11, of Colburn, and Liam McCarthy, 12, of Catterick.
Head of PSHE and organiser Joy Fraser said: “Focus day is a powerful way of getting young people to think about their futures in a positive way and also show the negative aspects of following the wrong path.
“Once again we are very grateful to all the outside agencies who help us stage what is a very successful day in the school calendar.”
