Commissioner : Gregory C. Dozier

Director of Public Affairs : Joan Heath

Johnson State Prison Hosts Graduation Ceremony

FORSYTH, Ga. – On July 12, Johnson State Prison (SP) hosted a graduation ceremony to recognize 18 men who received their GED and three men who completed the Faith & Character Based (F&CB) program.  

“We celebrate the accomplishments of the 18 men who received their GED and the three men who completed the Faith and Character Based program today at Johnson State Prison,” said Commissioner Dozier. “We commend our dedicated staff for encouraging them and working with them daily, to ensure success.”

At the event, the GED program Valedictorian recognized one security and one non-security employee with the agency’s Golden Apple Award, for their exemplary efforts in helping the offenders earn their diplomas. The security winner was Correctional Officer II Louise Warthen and the non-security winner was GED teacher Penny Sumner.

The GED program provides educational services catered to offenders who did not complete their high school education prior to incarceration. Students must pass tests in four basic subject areas to acquire their GED: Mathematics, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies.

The F&CB program is a secular program that focuses on personal and spiritual growth and development. The curriculum is divided into four phases: Foundation, Discovery, Transformation, and Transition.

The GDC has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees.

For more information on the GDC call 478-992-5248 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.