My name is April Coots and I'm 36 yrs old. I've been in federal prison for almost 10 years and I am currently serving a 20 year sentence for conspiracy to distribute and manufacture methamphetamine.
There are so many reasons why I feel it is important that I be released from prison. My main and obvious reason is my son Bradley who is about to turn 20 in June and who lost his mother to the prison system when he was 10 years old. He now has a one year old son named Abel and another one on the way. I missed out on so many milestones in my son's life due to my decisions. I know that my being away has hindered him from having healthy family dynamics to pass on to my grandchildren and I would like to be there with him to help build that for the future.
I've had 10 years to reflect on my life and all the mistakes that I've made. I have also been given a chance to better myself with the programs prison has offered me. These programs and the time I spent on pre-trial has taught me a lot about the potential I have as a woman, as a mother and as a person coming from my background. I've utilized every opportunity I could to gain more knowledge so I can leave here better than when I came and to ensure that I will succeed upon release. One of my main goals is to take the skills I've acquired in the Choices Program and continue my work with the youth when I am free. The Choices Program is a very rare opportunity for select inmates to go out into the community and share our story with high schools, church youth groups, social workers and drug court, to name a few. I want to continue sharing my story so that I can help someone refrain from making the same mistakes that I have. I would give back to the society that I played a part in hurting.
There is an extensive list of programs and accomplishments that I am taking with me when I leave this prison. I've earned my Dog Training apprenticeship and I currently train puppies to become service dogs for people with disabilities. This is a field that I am really good at and I would like to take this work outside with me and make a career out of it. I also gained my HVAC certification and I'm a licensed refrigerant technician. I've taken Vocational Training classes in Business Education that has taught me things like, ESL, power point, accounting, typing and stocks and bonds. I've also had training in Building Trades that taught me a variety of skills in wood work, framing, roofing, dry wall and many others. All of these things are tools to making me a productive member of society with good work ethic and a chance to succeed.
The things that I've accomplished while out on pre-trial and here in prison is proof that it takes hard work to better yourself but it's possible if you want it bad enough. I NEED it and that's why I've worked so hard. This is why I think President Trump should choose me.