Tuesday, December 2, 2025
From jail inmate to graduate: CF woman earns HSED with help from CVTC
Krista Harel, 36, of Chippewa Falls, obtained her High School Equivalency Diploma by taking Chippewa Valley Technical College classes taught by Literacy Chippewa Valley instructors. As a graduate, Harel will walk in the College’s December ceremony.
When 36-year-old Krista Harel walks across the stage during Chippewa Valley Technical College’s graduation ceremony on December 11, she won’t just be accepting a High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED). She will be celebrating courage and the belief that she is capable of more than she ever thought possible.
“I didn’t think I could do it,” Harel said. “The other women in class, and my teacher… they made me believe I could.”
Harel completed her HSED this summer while serving time in the Chippewa County Jail. She is one of 10 students who have earned their HSEDs from inside the Dunn, Eau Claire, or Chippewa county jails since summer; a milestone made possible through a partnership between Literacy Chippewa Valley and Chippewa Valley Technical College.
Harel grew up in Chippewa Falls and attended public schools, but by age 18, she was struggling. She had fallen behind academically, often skipped class, and left high school when she discovered she was pregnant.
Life didn’t get easier. She battled postpartum depression, mental health challenges, and substance use. She worked various jobs, tried multiple treatment programs, and, through it all, kept trying to rebuild her life.
When Harel was sentenced to jail time earlier this year, she decided she wanted something different. She wanted to use the time to accomplish something meaningful.
And she wanted to make her mom, who had passed away in 2023, proud.
Finding confidence
Twice a week, Harel joined a small group of jail inmates for HSED instruction classes taught through Literacy Chippewa Valley using CVTC’s state-approved curriculum. She said the encouragement she found there changed everything.
“The teacher is phenomenal. She comes in with a smile. She knows how to work with us,” Harel said. “And the girls, the other women, kept telling me I could do it.”
As she studied, something shifted.
“It wasn’t hard at all,” she admitted. “I didn’t just sit those whole six months doing nothing. I accomplished things.”
A partnership that changes lives
The instructional partnership behind Harel’s success has changed over the years to be what it is today.
Two decades ago, CVTC taught directly in the local jails before shifting instruction to Literacy Chippewa Valley. In recent years, the organizations have strengthened their collaboration to create a supportive experience for students.
Holly Hassemer, CVTC’s dean of Academic Development and Services, said the partnership has become a model for how community organizations can work together to expand educational access.
“Literacy Chippewa Valley handles instruction, and our CVTC instructors ensure the program meets state requirements,” Hassemer said. “We dual-enroll the jail students at the college, use our curriculum, and support them through the testing and completion process. It’s been a powerful partnership.”
The impact speaks for itself with students like Harel planning to walk in CVTC’s December graduation ceremony.
“It’s a great program that truly supports the work happening inside the jails,” Hassemer added.
Looking to the future
Now out of jail and preparing for graduation, Harel is proud of what she’s achieved. She’s working on sobriety and continuing her education. Harel received a $500 scholarship from the CVTC Foundation, Inc. that she can put toward additional coursework. She’s already exploring programs.
For the first time in a long time, she sees a future for herself.
“I’m 36 years old,” she said with a laugh. “But hey, I’m doing it. My mom would be proud of me. I know that.”
