S3E7: Success Starts at the Root

Welcome to Season 3, Episode 7, Success Starts at the Root: all about the Roots of Success program!  Season 3 features the Washington Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP), how they bring education, nature and training into the prisons to reduce recidivism and protect and enhance our environment. 

This is the seventh and final episode of Season 3. If you’ve missed any episodes, you can root around in our archives and listen.  So far, we’ve brought you how it all started; a background on the prison system and an introduction to SPP; how SPP is a network of partners working to bring education and nature into the prison system; we’ve also learn more about the SPP Conservation Programs and the Native Plant Nurseries; and rearing endangered Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterflies at the Mission Creek Correctional Facility; as well as some of the Peer-led education programs, including gardening and beekeeping.

In this episode we will learn more about the Roots of Success program from Grady Mitchell, a former participant and current Corrections & Reentry Program Director at Roots of Success. 

Guests in this Episode

Emily Passarelli

Emily Passarelli is the Education and Outreach Manager at The Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP). She first worked with SPP as a graduate student from 2015-2017 as the Green Track Program Coordinator. While there she helped coordinate Roots of Success and helped develop the framework for the statewide Beekeeping Program. After she graduated, she went on to work with Centralia College at the Washington Corrections Center as their Education Program Manager. In 2021, she rejoined the SPP Team as the Education and Outreach Manager.

Grady Mitchell

Grady Mitchell is the Corrections & Reentry Program Director at Roots of Success (ROS) Environmental & Job Readiness Curriculum. He is also a motivational speaker and consultant with Grady Mitchell Consulting. Mitchell has taught and mentored hundreds of students in the ROS program and trained men incarcerated in Washington’s prisons to teach ROS classes. Mitchell volunteers for the Washington Department of Corrections in developing volunteer and re-entry policies and continues to mentor.

Roots of Success

Roots of Success is a 10-module curriculum that teaches about the environment and prepares people for jobs.  It is focused on those individuals who have traditionally been left out of environmental policy and planning, and is taught in prisons, juvenile facilities, schools, and youth and job training programs across the US.  The program has even expanded to the UK and South Africa!  It was developed by .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}