A unique thanks this holiday. The gift of education.

A handful of inmates at the Greene County Jail recently received their General Education Development diplomas.  Creating a positive experience for those with long sentences.

A guilty plea to First Degree Assault left Antonio Draper with 20 years of time in the slammer.

"I wasn't doing anything in the pod," Draper said. "Playing cards and basketball."

Instead of counting the days until his release, "I've always like math," Draper said.

He picked up a pen and paper, hoping to improve upon his 10th grade education.

"I figured it was a good opportunity to come and learn some things," Draper said.

Under the tutelage of Mary Delfin, Draper and four other inmates became the first class to earn its GED while inside the jail.

"To watch these guys grow in knowledge as well as in their perspective of life, its been an exciting thing to me," Delfin said.

"It was a welcome experience, Draper said. "I worked real hard for it.  I'm just glad to be a part of it."

Several scores were even high enough for a scholarship at Ozarks Technical College.

"When they end up back on the street," Greene Co. Justice Center Programs Coordinator Troy Ruch said. "They're going to need the proper tools to work with to make their lives work properly."

"If I take this 20 years and apply it to myself, and get myself in a good position for when I do get out, I can apply the things that I learned when I was in."

Benefiting from books, to make sure the future after bars is bright.

The Sheriff's Office says the only way this program is possible is through the help of the community.

OTC donates materials. St. Vincent De Paul's Prison Ministry and the inmates helped pay for the exams.

Coordinators estimate about 25 percent of the jail population doesn't have an education equivalent to a GED.