One bad decision | S. Archer | TEDx, Virginia Green Rock Correctional Center

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Sgt Archer is a correctional officer -- but he could have ended up on the other side of the prison bars. I have been in corrections for 10 years, I started as an officer in a building, moved to the yard officer and a Field Training Officer (FTO), then became a Sergeant. I enjoyed being an FTO because I was able to interact with the new officers and train them to be the best officers they could be. I graduated from Averett University in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Criminal Justice. I decided to go back and finish my degree that I had started many years ago because of a conversation with my son about the importance of education, trying your best, and putting forth effort in school. My son’s response to our conversation was, “You never graduated from college and you are doing just fine.” It was then that I realized I could not preach to my son about the importance of education when I hadn’t finished myself. When not at work, I am busy working in the family business, around the farm, and spending time with my family. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

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How a prison warden lost his eye | Mike Seville | TEDx Green Rock Correctional Center

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Mike Seville is a prison warden and a stand-up comic -- he is hilarious! He kept us all entertained with tales of his childhood and family. Mike Seville began his career with the Virginia Department of Corrections in 1995 as a Corrections Officer at Nottoway Correctional Center. During his time at Nottoway, he held the ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant, Institutional Training Officer, and Chief of Housing & Programs. In 2018, Mr. Seville was promoted to Assistant Warden at Haynesville Correctional Center. In 2020, he was promoted to Superintendent at Haynesville Correctional Unit 17 before transferring to Sussex I State Prison in 2021. In May 2022, Mr. Seville was promoted to Warden at Haynesville Correctional Center before transferring to Green Rock Correctional Center as Warden in November 2022. Mr. Seville has served as a trainer at the Academy for Staff Development and Statewide Evidence-Based Practices Manager at Headquarters. Mr. Seville has most recently been tasked with transitioning Lawrenceville Correctional Center from a privately operated prison to a Virginia Department of Corrections-operated facility. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx