Breaking The Cycle: How the Turn2U Scholarship Uplifts Children of Incarcerated Parents

A Turn2U Scholarship Story, featuring Marina Monge and the powerful ripple effect of education, healing, and building better futures for children of incarcerated parents.

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When a child’s future is affected by a parent’s incarceration, the odds are stacked against them. The Turn2U Scholarship is helping to change that.

A few years ago, Marina Monge didn’t know what her future held. Like so many children of incarcerated parents, Marina faced emotional and financial uncertainty, unsure of how to build a life that felt stable or fulfilling.

But that changed when her incarcerated stepfather, Tulio Cardozo—then rebuilding his own life through The Last Mile—introduced her to the Turn2U Scholarship Program.

What began as a financial opportunity has evolved into something much greater: a catalyst for familial healing, growth, and transformation.

In this article, we explore why the Turn2U Scholarship exists, how it breaks generational cycles of incarceration, and why Marina’s journey demonstrates the possibilities that arise when families are empowered together.

Marina’s Monge’s Life Before Turn2U

Before receiving the Turn2U Scholarship, Marina Monge’s life was marked by uncertainty—a path familiar to many children of incarcerated parents.

Marina’s biological father passed away when she was four. Her stepfather, Tulio Cardozo, had been incarcerated and was participating in The Last Mile program. While Tulio worked to build a better future after prison, Marina was still unsure of her own.

“ At that time, we didn’t have a very close relationship at all,” Marina recounted in a recent interview. “Now, Tulio is my bestie.  I could say there’s been an entire 180 from the time we met, which I was when I was 11.”

Marina’s uncertainty carried over into her academic life. “ School in the beginning was tough,” she told us. “I did not know what I wanted, or who I wanted to be. I went through a little bit of personal stuff that led to taking a year off from school for mental health.”

Marina’s story mirrors the broader systemic challenges that children of incarcerated parents face, including unstable direction, financial uncertainty, and a lack of institutional support.
This cycle might have continued. But instead, a new opportunity changed Marina’s life forever.

The Stakes: What Children of Incarcerated Parents Are Up Against

In the United States, an estimated 2.7 million children have an incarcerated parent at some point during their childhood. These children endure economic instability, disrupted education, and emotional trauma.

Research from the National Institute of Justice confirms that children with incarcerated parents face psychological strain, poor school performance, and higher risks of antisocial behavior.

Even more alarming, a UC Irvine study concluded that the trauma of parental incarceration can be more damaging than divorce or the death of a parent.

These challenges often keep children trapped in cycles of poverty, increasing their chances of coming into contact with the justice system themselves.

It’s no surprise that generational incarceration has become a quiet epidemic. According to the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), children with incarcerated parents are more likely to experience extreme poverty, housing instability, and inadequate school systems.

When the risks are high, the stakes increase as well—this is where education can provide a solution.

A New Path Forward: How the Turn2U Scholarship Transformed Marina’s Life

Everything shifted when Tulio introduced Marina to the Turn2U Scholarship Program. “Out of nowhere, I had a new opportunity. I learned I was going to get a scholarship,” she recalled.

Receiving the scholarship validated Marina’s dreams and her strengthening bond with Tulio. “ School is what helped me. If it wasn’t for school, I don’t know where I would be right now.”

The scholarship provided her with the opportunity to pursue the education she needed to become an aesthetician, providing the necessary support to explore a career in the beauty industry. “I couldn’t wait to have a life where I have a job and I get to have my own money,” Marina recounted.

A Targeted Solution to Break Generational Cycles

Created by The Last Mile and its co-founders Chris Redlitz and Beverly Parenti, the Turn2U Scholarship Program was born from one central idea: help families break the cycle through education.

“It’s about creating a tangible benefit for children of incarcerated parents,” said Chris Redlitz. “We looked at our programs and asked, how do we extend that to real, real tangible benefit to these children?”

Turn2U Inc, the nonprofit organization behind The Last Mile, launched the scholarship program in 2022 to extend its mission beyond prison education. The program provides financial support up to $5,000 per year, totaling up to $20,000. In addition to financial aid, recipients receive mentorship and can access multiple scholarship tracks.

“We’re assisting them to break that cycle,” said Executive Director Kevin McCracken. “The more education a child of an incarcerated parent has, the less likely they are going to prison as well.”

This program goes way beyond attending college; the Turn2U Scholarship also supports vocational training and trade schools, recognizing that job-readiness comes in many forms.

As McCracken put it: “Not only is it a boost of confidence, but it also gets them in a position to support themselves and their families in the future.”

The Ripple Effect of One Turn2U Scholarship

When Marina gained employment, she excelled. “ It was hard to find a job, but I finally found one and I’ve been there for about a year and a half. I started getting employee of the month, and then I got it four times in a row.”

Marina and Tulio’s relationship has grown in new and powerful ways. Tulio described the shift clearly: “She saw me not just being her stepfather or her father, but being like a contributor to her future. And I think that changed our dynamic.”

Marina echoed that growth, saying, “We’re able to have those conversations now that we never had before. I feel like we’re both more open.” Chris Redlitz, who’s followed their journey closely, added: “Marina was not the person she is today. And that transformation is something that is relatable.”

Their evolving relationship stands as a testament to how healing and trust can deepen when support systems—such as the Turn2U Scholarship—are applied with care and intention.

Building Belonging Through Shared Experience

The Turn2U Scholarship Program is a growing community for young people affected by incarceration. Isolation is common for them, and a shared space with peers who understand that reality can be transformational.

Greg Ellis, Alumni Success Program Manager at The Last Mile, put it this way: “The primary goal is to build community among current and past scholarship recipients, reduce barriers to engagement through group-based touchpoints.”

Turn2U is creating spaces for scholars to connect with individuals who understand their experiences. Scholarship recipients know firsthand what it means to have a loved one incarcerated and how hard it is to stay focused.

From virtual meetups to structured mentorship opportunities, Turn2U provides valuable support networks for those navigating these difficulties.

“We’re talking about launching a scalable program with a path towards one-on-one mentorship,” said Ellis, “and laying the groundwork for external mentorship in future phases

Why This Program Breaks Cycles Of Incarceration

What makes Turn2U stand out is its multi-generational impact. A parent’s transformation inside doesn’t end when the coursework ends; it ripples into the next generation. The Scholarship is an accelerator of that transformative effect.

As Redlitz noted, “A mother or father may be incarcerated, yet their children can benefit from their participation in The Last Mile right now. Their parents are working hard on the inside and allowing them to have opportunities as well”.

When young people see their parents change, succeed, and receive support, it gives them permission to dream bigger—and the resources to pursue those dreams.

The results are beginning to show. Stories like Marina’s and JC Cavitt’s serve as proof of this concept.

This program has become a proven method of breaking cycles of incarceration, not through punishment, but through partnership, structured support, and clear pathways to success.

A Model for the Future Of Justice Reform

As Chris Redlitz described it, “The Last Mile classrooms are reactive—we meet people after they’ve already been incarcerated. The Turn2U Scholarship Program is proactive. It empowers people before As

The Last Mile expands to more states and facilities, so does the reach of Turn2U. The program is now offering multiple scholarship categories and broadened its accessibility more than ever before.

Its mission remains clear. We must empower the children of incarcerated parents so they become the last generation affected by mass incarceration.

“We wanted to look at how we could best support students. Not just one time, but on an ongoing basis,” said McCracken.

Through this innovative scholarship, TLM is rewriting futures, one student and one family at a time.

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By Robert Roche, VP of Marketing at The Last Mile.

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