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Jason Stupp, an English teacher and doctoral student at West Virginia University, has utilized his social justice-themed English 102 class as an opportunity to motive students to make a difference.
Stupp’s class focuses on problems within America’s prison systems and the neglect that many inmates face.
"I was inspired to choose prison studies as a theme for this course because it is something many people don’t understand" Stupp said. "We sometimes fail to remember that imprisoned people are members of our communities, some of whom have just made mistakes."
The class’s literature surrounds issues inside the prison system such as racial profiling, the death penalty and pregnant prisoners and students have also watched real life documentaries about the issues.
A field trip is planned to Hazelton prison in Preston County during November.
As part of the course, students are urged to volunteer and bring the ideas discussed inside the classroom out into the community.
The Appalachian Prison Book Project is one of the ways that these students are choosing to do their part.
The Appalachian Prison Book Project is an organization that rooted out of another class taught in 2004 by WVU English Professor Katy Ryan.
"When I mentioned to students that there was no prison book project in West Virginia, they committed themselves to creating one," Ryan said. "We spent about two years collecting books, raising money and finding an office space."
Now, the Appalachian Prison Book Project has sent out over 4,000 free books to people in prisons throughout West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Maryland and Virginia.
A student in Stupp’s class said the class and the Appalachian Prison Book Project have influenced his work ethic and his appreciation for books.
"I put more time and thought into the work and actually care about what we’re working on," said Ricky Perez, a WVU sophomore criminology major. "It brings out the best in me."
Perez has read letters from prisoners, selected appropriate books for each letter, helped package books to send off and has donated his own share of books to the organization.
"It was wonderful to work with Ricky because it was clear to me that he cares," Ryan said. "This is precisely the kind of educational experience I hoped (Appalachian Prision Book Project) would provide for students – a chance to do community service off campus. To put to work their own regard for others and to bring their talents and concerns to bear on the project."
Andrew Martin, WVU sophomore and music major is also taking Stupp’s class and said he prefers it to average English courses.
"Typically, in an English class, you would write about things you enjoy, and it would be for the benefit of the writer only," Martin said. "In Jason’s class, you can really tell that the research and writing you are doing has the possibility of having an impact on the community."
Although the students seem to give Stupp’s class the credit for motivating them to get involved in changing the problems within prison systems, Stupp gives the credit to the students themselves.
"I don’t think that my classes cause students to do positive work in the community," Stupp said. "I think I get great students who are already socially conscious people who want to help others, and the class just provides an outlet for them to do so."
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