The strains of "Pomp And Circumstance" filled the visitors’ room at the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield as six inmates received their diplomas from the Community High School of Vermont. Donned in the traditional cap and gowns and in front of friends, family, and their teachers, the inmates accepted their high school degrees, said the Rutland Herald. The program is open to men and women involved in the state’s correctional system, whether incarcerated or not, and mandated for those 23 years old or younger. About 150 students from around the state graduate every year, offering them more employment opportunities in auto shop, horticulture, and printing vocations. "It’s something I wanted to do a long time ago, and since I came here I decided to use my time to do something good," said recipient Christopher Blanchard.