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As Hendrix Carraway continues to take advantage of an opportunity, he hopes eventually his education with Alvin Community College will lead to others getting the assistance they need to succeed.

Carraway was an ACC student with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He is pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Business Management with an eye towards starting a non-profit named “Healing Hearts” to benefit the homeless veteran population.

“Being a U.S. Army veteran and understanding the hardship of military life after being deployed overseas, it is my purpose to help others as myself regain their self-respect and rediscover who they are,” said Carraway, who is currently taking courses at the Ramsay Unit. The more I know about the world of business, the more people I can reach help, and heal with a deeper understanding of business.”

Carraway was recently the first student to be awarded the Prime Example Scholarship through the ACC Foundation which is given to incarcerated students.

“This will definitely help me in my pursuit of higher education, and being the first TDCJ scholarship recipient reminds me that I'm on the right track to continue to be the best me I can be,” he said.

"We’re really happy to have The Prime Example, a non-profit organization, step in and support our Prison Education Program students,” said Chakoa Jefferson, director of ACC TDCJ programs. “Scholarships such as this are important, because our students face unique challenges, like not having internet access, which makes it hard for them to apply for funding. This donation is a big step forward for them, and it’s exciting to see how it will help them work toward their education and future goals.”

TDCJ studies have shown that the rate of recidivism, or chance of return to prison, greatly declines as an offender’s educational level increases. Offenders, on average, have less than a seventh-grade education.

“When they succeed, it benefits all of us by lowering recidivism and improving communities,” Jefferson said. “The Prime Example scholarship is a tangible step towards a brighter future for individuals who have faced significant challenges. Through our joint efforts, we can make a substantial impact on individual lives and, by extension, on society as a whole."

Prior to enrolling in college while in prison, each inmate must first earn their high school diploma or GED, and pass all the same entrance tests required for every college student.

Carraway said the supporters of the scholarship have allowed him and future students in his position not just to receive an education but to prepare for a better life.

“I truly believe my education will help me in my future business endeavors to be successful, because ‘knowledge is power,’” he said.