Imagine yourself as a 16 to 17-year-old trying to figure out who you are. In this journey to find yourself, your decisions begin to define your future. But, the choices you make and the crowd you hang out with, destroy you. Next thing you know, you are on a bus, and the next stop is Rikers Island. As the bus crosses the bridge, your life flashes before your eyes and you start thinking:

Where did I go wrong? How am I going to survive in here? What is life going to be like? How long am I going to be here? Will I ever get out? Am I going to die?

What would you do?

It is the feeling of fear that many whom I tutored felt. Entering jail, especially Rikers, is one where you change in ways you don't realize and become someone who is no longer able to take back the regrets and mistakes that took you there. What I did not know was that they were going to change my life, too. When my friend first told me, “Let’s go to the film screening of 'Rikers Island'," I did not hesitate to say yes. So, as we stood in line for the film, this lady named Kathy came up to us and started to talk about the Petey Greene Program. Upon learning about the program, I immediately knew that it was my calling, and I signed up quickly. A couple of weeks after signing up, my friend and I were notified of our new positions. We went through training in which we learned the dress code, behavior with inmates and corrections, and our students. I knew that I was going to one of the most notorious jails, but it wasn't until I entered Rikers that I understood what I had yet to face.

As I waited for the Q100, I was nervous and scared; the bus ride was one of the longest I've been on. I remember crossing the bridge and being fearful of what the decision I had made in taking this job. Before entering Rikers on my first day, I texted my parents to inform them of my arrival and my departure later that day around three pm.

Upon entering, my friend and I signed in and walked over to the Robert N. Davoren Complex building. We had to sign in again, show our passes, go through metal detectors, and waited for someone to escort us to the school. While walking to the classroom, the correction officers and the inmates stared at us walking past them, wondering why we were there.

Entering the school, we were greeted by the CO’s. We were assigned a room to tutor the inmate's Science. I embraced what was about to come, took a deep breath and open the door. The moment we stepped into the room the guys just stared at us while we introduced ourselves. I helped one student that day, the others were sleeping or did not care for learning.

While tutoring on my first day, my fears kept raising questions in my mind. They forced me to wonder if this opportunity was truly worth it if those in the class didn't genuinely care for the education. However, knowing the situations the kids are in at Rikers, I knew that they would have difficulty diving into the positives of what prisons offer. At the end of the session, the student I helped thanked me for helping him. The appreciation is what inspired me to come back the week after.

The following weeks, we were given many other rooms and people to tutor. It was always the hardest to start out in a new place because we still faced a new group of students. Many of the students were easy to work with, while others were not. We treated them as our equals to establish positive relations with them. It was sad that one day we would see a kid and the next week he was gone. Though I did not make friends, I left with the stories and struggles of the inmates that taught me great lessons.

Before leaving, we would say to them “I’ll see you next week,” and with that, they knew that we would be back soon. Would I do it again? Yes, without a doubt.