Courtesy Photo Inmates Scott Mallette II, Russel Smith, and John Langin pose with their high school general equivalency diplomas alongside Alpena County Sheriff Erik Smith, far right, and Nicole Hatch, adult education coordinator, third from left, after a graduation ceremony on Friday at the Alpena County Jail. The three inmates supported each other while housed together at the jail to earn their GEDs, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, which over the last year has worked to launch a new educational program called Inmate Growth Naturally and Intentionally Through Education, or IGNITE. The program was developed by Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson to reduce recidivism, decrease jail violence, and create a safer work environment for staff. The Alpena County Jail hopes to become the nation’s 19th IGNITE jail on Dec. 4. The GED program is funded by commissary and booking fees, not the county’s general fund.