Knox Co. Detention Center inmates celebrate as 18 receive GEDs so far during 2025

At the Knox County Detention Center, Wednesday afternoons look a little different than they did a few years ago. In a quiet classroom just off the main hallway, students gather with a mixture of nerves and determination as they sit down to take their official GED tests. For many, it is the first time in years—sometimes the first time in their lives—that a test represents possibility instead of fear.
This shift is the result of a growing partnership between Knox County Adult Education and the detention center. Each week, adult education instructors work with students who want a second chance at earning their GED. Some are brushing up on old skills; others are learning material they never had the chance to master. What they share is hope for a different kind of future.
Jailer Mary Hammons has been central to that effort. A former educator, she recognizes the impact that consistent instruction and encouragement can have on people who are trying to rebuild their lives. Her support has helped create a stable space where learning is possible, even within the confines of a correctional setting.
In 2024, that progress took another step forward when Laurel County Literacy Council—Knox County Adult Education’s managing organization—secured a mobile GED testing lab for the jail. For students, the change was immediate: no more waiting for transport, no more long delays between readiness and testing day. Instead, they could take their exams in a familiar, supportive environment on-site and move toward their goals.
The results speak for themselves. So far in 2025, 18 students have earned their GED at the detention center. Since the facility opened in late 2019, 53 students have reached that milestone. In total, students have passed 319 official GED tests. With each passing test, students become a step closer to reaching that milestone.
Behind each of those numbers is a story—a parent hoping to set a better example, a young adult eager to qualify for a steady job, an individual rebuilding confidence long thought lost. For many, earning a GED is more than a credential. It is the moment when possibilities begin to return.
Program instructor Terry Newquist says the work is not always easy, but it is always meaningful. And as the partnership continues, the classroom door at the Knox County Detention Center will keep opening for the next group of students ready to try again, learn again, and move forward.