The keynote speaker challenged the graduates to continue their educations while the distinguished platform guests nodded approval, and friends and family members in the audience beamed with pride.

Beneath their blue caps and gowns, however, these grads were wearing the bright red uniforms of jail inmates.

	Martha Rial, Post-Gazette Allegheny County Jail inmate Gregory Coarbin, 25, is congratulated by friend Carmella Hall after receiving his GED certificate yesterday. Click photo for larger image.

A graduation ceremony for 23 recipients of General Educational Development certificates took place yesterday under the watchful glare of guards and fellow prisoners at the Allegheny County Jail.

"Regardless of where he's getting his GED at, I'm proud that he is," said Victoria Martin of East Pittsburgh, who came to see her 37-year-old son, Michael Watts, march with the other graduates. "I'm hoping this will lead him to get a trade."

The inmates earned their GEDs through the Allegheny Intermediate Unit's Adult Basic Education program, which has been offered at the county jail since 2000 and costs an average of $500 per person, funded by state and local sources. Last year, 128 detainees at the jail received GEDs.

During the hourlong event, the graduates sat forward and listened intently as film producer and musician Leo Casino urged them to learn from their mistakes and turn their lives around.

County Councilman Bill Robinson encouraged them to become productive citizens.

"You've got something positive that no one can take away," he said. "From now on, you've got the GED. But now that you have this tool, you're required to do something with it."

Several inmate tutors and social workers made remarks. Jail Warden Ramon Rustin emphasized that the graduates will need support to re-enter society when they're released.

Inmate Leonard Penn of the Hill District stood tall, nervous yet smiling to himself, as he spoke of how the GED program has changed his outlook on life.

"This experience was something I need to be successful in society," said Mr. Penn, 26, who has spent the past four months behind bars for violating his probation.

"I never thought I would be able to accomplish this task. I always thought school wasn't for me. My ears were never open to listen. I was always worried about other things."

Now that he has the credentials for higher education, Mr. Penn said he wants to enroll in either Duff's Business Institute or Community College of Allegheny County to pursue his interest in computer networking.

The graduation ceremonies are held quarterly. Inmates enrolled in the GED program need anywhere from one month to one year of tutoring, depending on which grade they were in when they dropped out of school, how long it's been since they quit, how motivated they are and how quickly they learn.

GED certificates qualify them to get jobs that require high school diplomas and allow them to be admitted to other training programs beyond the high school level.

Gregory Coarbin, 25, said he's in jail because of cocaine possession. He still isn't sure what he wants to do with his GED, but said jail proved to be the perfect place to obtain it.

"This time, there were no distractions," he said, adding that he dropped out of school in 12th grade. "There's not that many people in the class and the teachers worked directly with me to help me better."

His girlfriend, Carmella Hall, encouraged him to complete the GED requirements. She also attended the graduation ceremony.

"I feel it's a big inspiration for him to move up from where he's at," said Ms. Hall, who has an associate's degree in office administration. "It shows his potential. It shows he can make changes."