Meet Lois Colton.

Lois Colton forged a notable 20-year career as an adult educator with an unlikely student body —felony inmates at Oregon State's oldest maximum-security prison.

The story of this lively, determined young woman’s experiences teaching basic literacy skills to felony male prison inmates is vividly depicted in the collection of essays she wrote throughout her career and subsequently compiled into a documentary memoir entitled Teaching to a Captive Audience.

Twice recognized as the International Corrections Education Association's "Teacher of the Year" for Region VI, Lois offered her caring nature and unwavering dedication to excellence in teaching for her incarcerated students, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of those she met serving time behind bars.

Lois Colton is currently retired and living in Hood River, Oregon where her curly red hair and bright smile make her a recognizable character around town when she walks the trails and byways, writes in groups, teaches English to immigrants, and cares for her family, friends, and community with the same kind of creative energy that has powered her through all her life’s endeavors.