CALIFORNIA — For the first time in the state, eight incarcerated students have earned an Associate of Science degree in Forestry, marking the historic milestone at the Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) Rising Scholars Program (RSP) graduation on June 26, 2026. The achievement was part of a graduating class of 23 where all students obtained a Foundational Skills Certificate or Certificate of Achievement in Forestry. Many of the graduates also serve as hand crew members in CDCR Conservation (Fire) Camps in Northern California. Through a partnership between CDCR, LTCC and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), incarcerated students in RSP can earn stackable forestry certificates. …Studies show that incarcerated individuals who participate in correctional education are 48 percent less likely to return to prison within three years than those who did not have access to these opportunities.