NewsFOX 13 Tampa BaySeptember 14, 2026Hillsborough County
New College of Florida researchers and students use puppets to teach job interview skills to Osceola County inmates
Photo: FOX 13 Tampa Bay
Researchers and students from New College of Florida are using custom-built puppets to teach job interview skills to incarcerated men and women in Osceola County as part of a prison rehabilitation program.
Read the full story at FOX 13 Tampa BayWhy It Matters
Incarcerated individuals in Osceola County receive job interview training through an unconventional rehabilitation program involving university researchers and students.
Key Facts
- New College of Florida researchers and students are conducting an unconventional prison rehabilitation program in Osceola County.
- The program uses custom-built puppets to teach job interview skills to incarcerated men and women.
Who's Mentioned
PersonLeah Basaria“Former student who started the program and launched Light Line Reentry.”OrganizationUnited Arts of Central Florida“Funded the program through a Community Impact Grant.”PersonAlicia Byrne“Undergraduate student involved in the program.”OrganizationJim Henson Foundation“Foundation that praised the project's creative impact.”locationHart Memorial Central Library“Main branch of the Osceola Library System displaying the inmates' puppets.”OrganizationNew College of Florida“Researchers and students developed and delivered the program.”locationOsceola County“Location of the inmates receiving the training.”OrganizationOpen Scene“Performing arts non-profit that teamed up to deliver the workshops.”PersonJones Hogsed“Undergraduate student involved in the program.”OrganizationOsceola County Corrections Department“Department where the inmate workshop program took place.”OrganizationLight Line Reentry“Non-profit launched to track inmate success after release.”OrganizationOsceola Library System“System operating the library where puppets are displayed.”PersonDr. Tyler Fisher“New College of Florida researcher who helped start the program.”