Week in Review: July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

In this July 11 Week in Review, we spotlight scholarships at ASP, resource fair at CRC, and PVSP supporting youth sports.

In the Community

ASP, CCWA awards three students with scholarships

CCWA members' children at ASP with scholarship awards for $500

The Chicano Correctional Workers Association (CCWA) proudly awarded three $500 scholarships to the children of correctional workers at Avenal State Prison (ASP).

To be considered for a scholarship award, applicants had to submit an essay describing their educational experiences and outline their future goals. Recipients were selected based on their essays, highlighting their dedication and aspirations. The awards help the children pay for their higher education needs.

The 2025 CCWA scholarship recipients are:

Sean Pailma, son of Lt. Pailma
Roman Torres, son of Correctional Counselor II Torres
Maddison Lujan, daughter of Teresa Lujan, an associate governmental program analyst

From incarceration to achievement

Edward Escalante, formerly incarcerated at ASP at college graduation ceremony with family

After paroling from Avenal State Prison (ASP), Edward Escalante has continued making strides toward rehabilitation.

Escalante proudly walked across the stage at Coalinga College, earning his college degree.

His achievement highlights the impact of rehabilitative programs available at ASP, providing opportunities to achieve academic and personal success.

Escalante made significant improvements in his rehabilitation, demonstrating that with support and dedication individuals can successfully reenter California communities. His recent graduation is a testament to the positive outcomes resulting from comprehensive correctional programs focused on education and self-improvement.

PVSP supports youth football and cheerleading teams

The Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) incarcerated population organized a fundraiser for local youth sports teams.

PVSP incarcerated donates $7000 to youth sports groups, OYF and OCT

The Oilers Youth Football and Cheerleading teams in Coalinga needed uniforms and equipment for the upcoming season. Recognizing the power of community contributions in their own journey for change, the population wished to help these youth organizations.

The PVSP population raised $7,000 for the teams. The teams have a total participation of over 140 children. The youth organization’s board of directors are struggling to find additional funding while striving to keep participant registration fees affordable. The funds raised by PVSP help players participate in sports with high safety standards.

“This is amazing news. We really appreciate your support, “said Desiree Davis, the organization’s treasurer. “My husband and I had recently taken charge for the organization and found ourselves in a position where we do not have all the needed equipment and uniforms for the teams we service.”

After the check presentation, the community resources manager’s staff were invited to watch a practice session from the sidelines at the Oilers Youth Football practice fields.

“It was clear to see that the dedication of young athletes to learn and improve their skills would prove to be a good season for Oilers sports,” said staff who watched the practice.

Observances

Chronic Disease Day

Chronic Disease Day is a national awareness campaign advocating for chronic disease prevention and treatment.

At CDCR and CCHCS, we recognize the essential work staff do every day to support individuals living with long-term conditions such as HIV, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and more.

Whether you’re helping patients stick to their care plans, manage chronic symptoms, or just feel heard, you are improving the lives with every interaction.

In Our Institutions

CRC hosts resource, reentry fair

California Rehabilitation Center (CRC) staff and the Incarcerated Persons Advisory Council (IPAC), along with reentry providers hosted a resource and reentry fair for the incarcerated population.

The event included resources for education, wellness, and reentry services for incarcerated attendees.

CRC-Norco healthcare staff provided educational materials on heat-related illnesses and methods to prevent them during the summer months. Education staff informed attendees on vocational and academic opportunities available within the institution.

Attendees had the chance to meet with representatives providing services for housing, education, mental health, substance abuse treatment, medical assistance, and employment resources.

“This event is a great representation of our goal to better facilitate the reintegration of the individuals in our care back to their communities effectively, ultimately reducing recidivism and increasing public safety,” said Lt. Ryan Allen, the CRC public information officer.

In the Media

Incarcerated individuals graduating at Fresno State

Degrees of Change: Education transforms lives behind bars

In many ways, it looked like any other graduation ceremony. Graduates donning caps and gowns waited with excited anticipation, shaking hands with faculty and embracing family members who had come to celebrate this milestone. Bulldog red and blue decorations, emblazoned with “Congratulations Grad,” brightened the gymnasium walls. The mood was festive, with staff and faculty in regalia, graduates and loved ones mingling as they awaited the ceremony’s start.

Rabbi Yochanan Friedman, who directs Chabad by the Sea in Santa Cruz, leads a session of Choices for Life at the chapel at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Correctional Training Facility in Soledad.

Santa Cruz Rabbi Yochanan Friedman leads Choices for Life program at Soledad prison

Rabbi Yochanan Friedman, who directs Chabad by the Sea in Santa Cruz, created the Choices for Life program with his father, Rabbi Manis Friedman, to “help incarcerated inmates understand the critical distinction between merely existing and truly living, emphasizing that conscious choices are key to creating a life of purpose, meaning, and happiness.”