Although currently incarcerated for various crimes, some Anson County Department of Corrections inmates are hard at work, trying to build a better life for themselves once they are released.

Last week, inmates that are taking part in instructor Terry James' masonry class through South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) worked in the unseasonably hot weather to build a new "Welcome to Polkton" sign from scratch.

The sign features new brick and is located on the edge of SPCC's Polkton campus. The wood piece that was in the original sign, at the other end of the campus, was removed and placed in the new sign on Friday.

"This is a win-win situation for everybody— for the inmates, for the community, for the Department of Corrections, for the college," James said. "And the inmates get to showcase the skills they've learned in masonry class."

Some students have been in the class for only a month, while others have been learning the masonry ropes for nine months or more. Everyone in his class, James added, no matter what level, has done a good job.

"We do a lot of projects in the community, for a lot of non-profit groups and things like that," he said. "We do all kinds of stuff in class but this helps them get on-the-job training."

That on-the-job training can only help inmates/students like Sherman Randolph, who's been taking part in the class since May 3. "I've always been in construction but never learned to lay [bricks]," he said, adding that he hopes to be able to get a good job upon his release.

Domenici Fair has the same goal in mind. He said he decided to take the class in order to better his life when he gets out of prison. "It'll give me something to fall back on, other than crime," he said.

Phillip Frizzell has been in James' masonry class for well over a year and says that it has helped to change his life. "I've labored on jobs for about 15 years," he said, "but I never got to lay because of the simple fact I couldn't show up on Mondays."

He admitted that he had a drug problem but has gotten clean and sober during his time in prison. "I got another year to go," he said. "I'm trying to learn all I can so I can get out there and do something productive. Mr. James is a really good teacher. He takes his time with the students... he's a very patient man."

In addition to masonry with James, SPCC also offers horticulture, house building, cooking and electrical courses for inmates.

"The main thing we do as far as the college is concerned is to try to provide the best education possible," James said. "That doesn't mean a job in masonry necessarily, but we teach them things they can use in other jobs. Our main concern is that they don't come back here."