Situation: According to Vice President for Correctional Education and Innovation Todd Marshall, Ph.D., of Ashland University, incarcerated individuals are often in and out of prison. He says they are looking for a way to set a new direction on life.

Results: Securus’ Lantern learning management and education platform reduces recidivism and gives hope. With its 21st century technology, the program has helped over 150,000 students with digital education content. There have been over 1,000,000 course enrollments since Lantern’s inception. The Securus education program provides nearly 70 courses for incarcerated residents to be able to achieve either a bachelor’s or associate’s degree.

Ben Castro, a former incarcerated individual, credits his Securus’ Lantern education and his associate’s degree in general studies for helping him reach his success so quickly.

“I credit my degree for opening that door and giving me opportunity,” said Ben Castro. “Lantern disciplined my life,” he added.

He was released from the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center located in St. Gabriel, Louisiana in April 2018. While serving his time, he prepared for reentry with what he feels was a well balanced curriculum with courses like civics, business, math, trigonometry, English, biology, religion, philosophy and life skills.

Just two years after his release, he serves as the marketing director for Ideal Market in Metairie, Louisiana, which has eight locations in the state.

Head of Human Resources Roberto Torres refers to Castro as a “fantastic guy” for several reasons.

“Ben is a person who helps with his day- to-day energy, which he brings here like a family, that the day in the future is better than the present,” said Torres. “He is disposed to help and listen. He is a guy about union and not about separation.”

Castro started his career as a DJ, where in his words, he lacked structure. He was determined to get on the right track for reentry and explains that Lantern gave him the discipline he was looking for.

“I had a goal every day. I saw my daily accomplishments, my work assignments, and I had to allocate time. It was something I never had to do before. It helped me with my job and prepared me for real life,” Castro stated.

Castro explains he was goal-driven from the first day of his release. His first job was washing dishes at a restaurant. He used his lunch break to search for better opportunities, and two jobs later, he says he applied for an opening at Ideal Market in the meat department.

One glance at his resume, and he states the supervisor told him he was over-qualified and hired him as the store manager. Determined to succeed, he put his skills to work and credits what he learned through Lantern.

“I knew nothing about the grocery business. Through my education, I learned the importance of listening to people to see what their needs are as well as negotiating product, so everyone walks away from the table happy,” Castro stated.

Castro says it was also his hard work of keeping the store clean and good work ethic that got him the quick promotion from store manager to marketing director. However, he mentioned some unique ideas of introducing typical New Orleans cuisine to his grocery store, that caters to the Latino market, that may have also helped him get that promotion since they were a big hit.

“We were missing the New Orleans factor, it was my idea to start boiling crawfish outside the store on Fridays. We have 80,000 cars that pass our intersection a day. Two months into the season, we order 60,000 pounds of crawfish,” Castro stated.

Then, for Mardi Gras, he came up with the idea of putting a Latino twist on King Cakes by offering a Tres Leches variety. He says 18,000 units were ordered.

After he created those big ideas for new products, he was soon named the marketing director for the corporate chain. Castro thanks his Securus’ Lantern education for giving him the confidence to believe in himself and his dreams.

“Lantern was one of the best things that ever happened to me in my life. It gave me purpose and self-esteem. I have something, I can be proud of, something that is real,” he stated.

Castro aspired not only for his success, but also saw an immediate need to help those around him. For his thesis of his degree, he started a nonprofit called Freedom Rides. He noticed much of the prison population was “driving dirty”, meaning driving a vehicle without a license.

These same individuals were then getting rearrested upon release for driving without a license. Freedom Rides raises funds so that they can pay off past fines, get driver’s licenses and receive donated cars.

“Some people feel they’re worthless. I wanted to change that,” Castro concluded. “Lantern programs show you that you can be someone in life and accomplish something in life.”

COVID-19 has certainly given him the opportunity to take an important role. He serves as one of the grocery chain’s spokespersons informing communities about its free meal delivery to assisted living communities as well as a complimentary meal program for first responders and nurses in the New Orleans area who are in need.

Ben not only spearheaded the COVID-19 community outreach programs, but the projects were his brainchild.

“He did a phenomenal job with that. Ben is a person that is well-intentioned and capable. He is caring for the community and wants to help others in need,” concluded Torres.