Each week, on Monday and Wednesday mornings, 60-year-old Yvonne Walker sits in the front row of a music appreciation course — part of a communications class at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women offered through NJ-Step.
It was not inevitable that Ms. Yvonne would end up taking college courses.
Back in 2015, Ms. Yvonne attempted to get her GED diploma at our prison twice. During her first exam, she was called for a visit with her daughter and grandchildren. She rushed through the math portion of the test in order to make the visit and failed the section by just one point.
A few weeks later, Ms. Yvonne was able to retake the math portion of the exam. Without the pre-visit anxiety, Ms. Yvonne was able to put her hours of study to good use and passed. As a result, she would eventually walk down the aisle, adorned in a blue cap and gown, to thunderous applause from families of the graduating class of 2015, including her children and grandchildren.
Ms. Yvonne, a native of Kingston, Jamaica, migrated to the U.S. at the age of 8. She attended Irvington High School, a public school in New Jersey, until she gave birth to her eldest daughter during her senior year. A young mother with no child care, she was forced to drop out of school to support herself and her family.
Though she was proud, Ms. Yvonne was ultimately discouraged by her struggle to pass the GED test. Ms. Yvonne figured that college was not for everyone and thought her GED diploma was the end of her educational journey.
But then, in 2022, her eldest grandson, Azel, graduated from high school. Ms. Yvonne is close with all nine of her grandchildren, but she has a special bond with Azel. The two talk on the phone every day.
Azel’s news that he would be attending Essex County College and majoring in software development filled his grandmother with pride. It inspired her to further her education alongside him.
In a 15-minute Global Tel Link telephone call with Azel one Sunday morning, Ms. Yvonne revealed her decision to go back to school. Calling Azel by his nickname, she said, “Pop-Pop, because you are going to go to college and get your degree, I am also going to go and try to get my degree.” She fought back tears as she remembered the response she received from Azel regarding her decision.
“Grandma, you can do it,” he said, enthusiastically.
Ms. Yvonne is currently in the third semester of her college journey. Mr. O’Neill, the music appreciation professor, described Ms. Yvonne as eager to learn.
“She is the first to arrive inside of class and the last one to leave,” he said, wiping black marker off of the board in preparation for his next class. “She asks all the right questions and is proof that we are never too old to learn.”
Laciana Sears, a fellow NJ-Step student, has been friends with Ms. Yvonne for nearly a decade.
“I’m so proud of her,” she said. “I see her in class sitting in the front seat like a little girl all over again.”
Ms. Yvonne is currently 16 years into a mandatory sentence of 45 years for murder. New Jersey’s No Early Release Act mandates that individuals convicted of specific violent crimes serve at least 85% of their prison sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Her conviction stemmed from a domestic violence incident. She continues to fight her case in the courts with hopes of someday receiving a lesser sentence.
During another weekend telephone call with Azel, he said that he wants people to know how proud he is of his grandmother.
“There should be no shame in going back to school or furthering your education,” he said. “We should all want to learn something each and every day.”
For now, Ms. Yvonne continues to enjoy the unexpected pleasures of education.
“I initially wanted to see how far I could go as a special education student with no help,” she said. “But what I have been able to accomplish so far demonstrates my capability. I love being back in class and learning. I started something and I’m going to finish.”
