Alva Review-Courier -

Brett Thompson, as salutatorian of Bill Johnson Correctional Center's high school equivalency program, spoke to friends, families, classmates, staff and others who gathered June 22 for the BJCC graduation ceremoy.

"Welcome, and thank you for coming. I know some of you have traveled a great distance to be here today. We greatly appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this important milestone," Thompson said.

"When I was told I was going to be sent away to prison for 10 years, I didn't think I'd accomplish much more than reading a few hundred books and catching up on my sleep. Boy, was I wrong! This facility is very highly structured, which means very few opportunities to catch a nap," he said, chuckling ruefully.

"I have, however, been afforded the opportunity to complete my high school education – something that has been a long time coming. I'm very proud of myself and my fellow graduates. This is an important, positive accomplishment that will bring many advantages in life that we did not have before. I'm looking forward to taking college classes upon my release and I know that a lot of my fellow graduates are as well. I wish us all great success in our future endeavors."