This morning, Susan Lately will go where no woman has gone before.

“She’ll come out that door there,” said Mike Caron, who oversees the inmate education programs at the Douglas County Jail. He pointed down the sun-filled hallway that leads to the cellblock.

“She’ll have on a cap and gown,” he said. “I’ll be playing ‘Pomp and Circumstance.’ I’ve got it on CD. It’ll be a nice little ceremony.”

Lately, 47, is the first female inmate to earn a high school degree while at the jail.

It wasn’t easy. It takes 46 credit hours to graduate. Lately, who’s been in and out of jail since 1990, started out with only one credit.

“I drove them crazy, I know I did,” she said, referring to Caron and her teacher, Kelly Moomau. “I really wanted to get this done. I’m really tired of this place. When I get out this time, I don’t want to come back.”

That won’t be easy, either.

Lately, a Lawrence native, has a felony on her record.

Lawrence Diploma Completion Program teacher Bob Hassler helps Gina Kafuri, originally of Mexico City, work through online mathematics equations Wednesday afternoon. In addition to helping members of the community, such as Kafuri, the Lawrence Diploma Completion Program is also in a partnership with the Douglas County Jail to help inmates work toward earning their diplomas.

“It’s for shoplifting,” she explained, seated in Caron’s upstairs office. “Actually, it was three misdemeanors combined to make a felony. But, still, it’s a felony.”

Nowadays, few corporate employers will hire felons. Most temporary employment agencies won’t either.

“It’s hard,” Caron said. “The only thing harder than looking for work with a felony on your record is if you have a felony and you don’t have a high school degree.”

Lawrence’s high housing costs add another layer of difficulty.

“If you’re single and making $7 an hour, you have to have two jobs and a paper route just to pay rent and utilities,” Lately said.

With her degree, she said, comes hope.

“All the times I’ve ended up back in here,” she said, “have been PVs – parole violations – because I couldn’t find a job. I gave up, but now that I’ve got a degree, I’ll find something.

“I can do food service,” she said. “I like to clean. When I see dust, it drives me crazy.”

Second chance

Now in its second year, the jail’s education program is part of a state-funded effort aimed at giving adults a second or third shot at earning their high school diplomas. It partners with Lawrence School District and the Lawrence Diploma Completion Center, 711 W. 23rd.

“We’re different from the GED-type programs that most people are familiar with,” said Sharen Steele, project coordinator at the diploma center. “We send a copy of your transcript to either Lawrence High School or Free State High, and they do an assessment that shows which and how many credits are needed to get a diploma.”

The diploma center uses the assessments to set up coursework that, if followed, will lead to graduation.

The courses are computer-based, allowing students to work at their own pace.

“We have 112 students enrolled this semester,” Steele said. “We graduated 14 last year. We’re hoping to double that this year.”

The jail’s graduation rate is considerably lower.

“We’ve had probably five or six,” Caron said, “and that’s because most of our people aren’t here long enough.”

But the program is set up so that former inmates can continue their studies at the diploma center.

“That’s the nice thing about it,” Steele said.

Peeling layers

Mary Michener, 86, teaches a once-a-week writing class for women inmates.

“I learned right away that once you start peeling back the layers, you’ll find (inmates) are like anybody else,” said Michener, who owned and ran Adventure Bookstore in Lawrence from 1973 to 1995.

“The thing that’s shocked me the most is that almost all of the women are mothers and, in some cases, grandmothers who’ve had their parental rights terminated,” she said. “They hardly get to see their children, so they’re grieving.”

One of her assignments, Michener said, calls for her students to write about where they hope to be in five years.

“It’s funny,” she said. “They hardly ever mention men. They always mention getting back with their children and getting a good job.”

Lately said she’s had contact with her two grown sons.

“I missed so much of my kids’ lives – I know I did,” she said. “But I have grandkids now, and I refuse to miss their lives.”

After today’s graduation ceremony, Lately will be released on parole.

Because she will be homeless, she will report to the Salvation Army shelter, 946 N.H.

“I hope they can help me find a job,” she said.

Candice Amyx, 40, also will graduate today. She was on work-release assignment Wednesday and unavailable for an interview.

Douglas County Jail officials refuse to allow photographs inside the jail.

– Staff writer Dave Ranney can be reached at 832-7222.