November 02, 2014
Horticulture has been a program here at Madison for the last ten years, which first started as a suggestion by my instructor who was a grounds keeper at the time. My instructor has a degree in horticulture and owns a landscaping business in the London area. He first only worked here for extra income to support his family, but now he comes to Madison each day to educate inmates and help us learn a trade that we can utilize in society and support ourselves and our own families. I really enjoy listening to the teachings of my instructor; I can tell he's passionate about horticulture. Every day in class I express my passion and interest in horticulture, by paying attention to every detail, always writing notes and asking questions, not to mention my straight A' average thus far. In the beginning, before school even started I was extremely persistent, visiting his classroom every week to see if I made the list for this years' attending students. After I found out they skipped my name when school first started I approached my teacher, pleading with him to let me in his class, expressing my own lifelong passion for horticulture and promising to be one of his top students. Following through with my promise, remaining one of his best students, always sitting at the front of the class, never joining in on the rude side conversations with other inmates I believe has gained me a little trust and respect from my teacher. In the ten years of horticulture here, every inmate that's ever received a cell isolation punishment has been kicked out of horticulture class, this was one of my greatest concerns when I found out the prison was placing me on cell isolation. I worked so hard to get this class and I wasn't about to let somebody wrongfully take that away from me. So I slipped over to my class the first chance I got, I told my teacher what was going on with my situation on cell ice, re-iterating my passion for horticulture, once again pleading with him to keep me in class. Several times in class we would hear him explain to us that horticulture is a privilege and cell isolation would equal expulsion from class. I still knew that I had to try, I deserved to be a student and I made that clear to my teacher. I don't know what my teacher saw in me, maybe he believed me when I told him I was wrongfully accused of drug abuse, or maybe he saw promise and potential in me, too much to feel alright with just kicking me out of class. Whatever the reason, I thank God and my teacher every day for another chance. Since then four more of my classmates have gone to the hole and been placed on cell isolation. Having to be fair and equal my teacher allowed them to remain in class as well. It looks like I started a trend, I just hope my instructor doesn't regret his decision, I certainly know I won’t give him a reason to.
Steven Dybvad
