From entrepreneurship to peer support, this year many members of our population engaged in programs and activities that fostered their growth and set them up for success in the future. Here’s a look back on some of the 2022 highlights for the NDCS population. #YearInReview2022

1. Graduation day! Men at the Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility (NCYF) worked hard to make it to this special day when they earned their high school diplomas.

2. These graduates of the RISE program took ownership of their future, preparing for each phase of reentry through character development, employment readiness and entrepreneurship.

3. Men at the Work Ethic Camp (WEC) scored the People's Choice Award in a friendly competition to spread cancer awareness throughout the McCook community and beyond.

4. After completing Intentional Peer Support (IPS) training through the Mental Health Association of Nebraska, these men are eager to make a positive difference in the lives of those around them.

5. These individuals are part of the first Prison Fellowship Academy (PFA) cohort to graduate at the Omaha Correctional Center (OCC), proving that they have the leadership potential to serve as supporters of a positive culture.

6. Together with the sponsors from the Community Justice Center, these men at the Reception and Treatment Center (RTC) are one of several cohorts this year to complete a 12-week curriculum that tackles the issue of gang affiliation, how to break those ties and criminal activity.

7. The team from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission visited the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women (NCCW) for a fun-filled nature day with moms and their kids.

8. It’s safe to say there were smiles all around at this event — a mobile petting zoo at NCYF, thanks to Scatter Joy Acres.

9. The OCC Veterans Club held their Spring Symposium this year with a live band, a fallen comrades observance and presentation of certificates.

10. The 7 Habits on the Inside facilitator training at multiple facilities this year prepared teammates and incarcerated individuals to deliver programming to the population as co-facilitators in a collaborative environment.

11. This group of men is one of many who graduated from the Thinking for a Change (T4C) program this year, a class designed to help participants develop social and problem-solving skills that will allow them to react to situations in positive ways. 

12. Ben Fuller Music, a Nashville Contemporary Christian musician, brought the gift of music to the Nebraska State Penitentiary (NSP) and RTC, for an inspirational concert sponsored by Bridges to Hope.