From Students to Leaders: Teaching Behind Bars with the Exchange for Change Student Leadership Council

At Exchange for Change, our Student Leadership Council (SLC) members aren’t just students; they’re leaders, mentors, and teachers within their environment. Through the Council, these women step into teaching roles, sharing their knowledge and transforming lives behind bars. Here, three members—Eulie Polanco, Vicki Hicks, and Brittany Miles—share their journeys from students to leaders and educators.

Teaching with Purpose: Eulie Polanco’s Journey

“Before I attended any of the E4C classes, I was an I.T.A. (Inmate Teaching Assistant),” Eulie Polanco shares. “Giving back has always been paramount.” For Eulie, joining the Student Leadership Council deepened this sense of purpose, adding new layers of creativity and growth to her passion for teaching.

“When I was asked to facilitate an Exchange for Change creative writing class, it was the perfect opportunity to apply the ‘reach one, teach one’ strategy,” she says. Through her classes, Eulie uses the power of a simple pen and paper to transform perspectives, encouraging fellow students to explore their own voices and stories. This empowerment—turning incarcerated mindsets into liberated writers—is at the heart of what Exchange for Change aims to accomplish.

Stepping Up to Lead: Vicki Hicks and Brittany Miles’ Experience

For Vicki Hicks and Brittany Miles, serving on the Student Leadership Council has been both valuable and rewarding. “Chosen to lead and organize the student body through each semester has been a positive learning experience and an opportunity to enhance communication skills,” they explain. Transitioning from student to teacher has allowed them to grow their leadership abilities and step up to new challenges.

As SLC members, Vicki and Brittany were tasked with teaching a leadership course to a selected group of students who already possessed leadership qualities. “We’re passionate students, always absorbing the knowledge being shared. This made it easy for us to embrace the new challenge of teaching,” they say. For them, the best teachers are lifelong learners, and the experience of teaching leadership has been both fulfilling and eye-opening. “We’re building our own leadership skills by guiding this group through lessons on leadership. The opportunity to lead others to reach their potential is empowering.”

Empowering Through Education

These stories from Eulie, Vicki, and Brittany reflect the transformative impact of Exchange for Change’s Student Leadership Council. By stepping up to teach, these women not only grow personally but also create lasting, positive changes within their environment. Each class taught and every lesson shared contributes to a stronger, more connected space behind bars—one rooted in learning, leadership, and the power of words.