First woman graduates from county’s in-custody high school program

The first woman to finish high school while in custody of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office will be honored at a graduation ceremony later this month.

Monet Pierson will receive her high school diploma from the Five Keys high school program at the Maple Street Correctional Center in Redwood City, according to a recent press release from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Carlos Bolanos will preside over the ceremony, which takes place April 28. Pierson’s teacher will present the diploma and Pierson will also share some of her experiences.

According to the Sheriff’s Office:

“(Pierson) overcame barriers of chronic incarceration and mental health to achieve her diploma.”

Thus far, 31 men have graduated from Five Keys since the program launched in 2016 at the Maple Street Correctional Center. The program, which has expanded to the Maguire Correctional Facility, also allows people to start their education while in custody and then continue after release.