Brianna Reynolds
Yeison Ramirez Mendez
Celebrating Adult Education and Family Literacy Week 2026
By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer
A second chance. A new career. A college degree. A better future for a family.
National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, celebrated nationally Sept. 13–19, 2026, shines a light on the importance of helping adults develop the literacy and digital skills they need to earn industry-recognized credentials and secure family sustaining careers while building the workforce of tomorrow.
The annual observance was established in 2009 to raise awareness of adult education and family literacy and promote greater access to educational opportunities.
At Rio Salado College, adult education students come to class with different goals and different stories. Some are working toward a High School Equivalency diploma. Others are learning English, preparing for college or building skills for a new career.
What they have in common is a willingness to keep moving forward.
Finding a Second Chance
Brianna Reynolds knows what it feels like to have a goal that seems out of reach.
After completing her senior year of high school, Reynolds was just two credits short of graduating. Personal challenges made it difficult to complete the remaining coursework, and she spent several years feeling disconnected from her educational goals.
In 2025, she enrolled in Rio Salado’s in-person High School Equivalency (HSE) program. Two months later, she had earned her HSE diploma and a National Retail Foundation Retail Fundamentals Credential.
Today, Reynolds works as a payroll administrator and has discovered a passion for finance and accounting. She plans to continue her education and pursue a degree in the field.
“I cannot believe I finally did it,” Reynolds said. “For years, this felt like a dream that would always remain just out of reach. I had made peace with the idea that it might never happen for me. But here I am, proving myself wrong in the best way possible.”
Reynolds credits the supportive environment at Rio with helping her move forward.
“The community atmosphere and the support I received from every single Rio staff member and other students is the best I've ever had in a school setting, ever,” she said.
Reynolds is currently enrolled in Rio’s Adults Achieving a College Education (ACE) scholarship program, and will begin a first year college experience class in October.
Opening Doors to What Comes Next
Beverly Felix returned to Rio Salado determined to finish what she had started.
After returning to the college’s Adult Education program in 2022, Felix earned her High School Equivalency diploma and continued her education through the Adult ACE program. With support from her family, faith and the Rio Salado Adult ACE team, she found the confidence to keep going.
“I am truly grateful to be part of the program because it opened up doors for me I didn’t see possible or ever in reach,” Felix said. “This journey’s been life changing and I’ll always appreciate the support and encouragement I’ve received.”
Felix is now preparing to graduate with a degree in social work from Estrella Mountain Community College and plans to continue her education at Arizona State University.
Her journey shows that adult education can be a starting point for goals that extend well beyond earning a high school equivalency diploma.
Choosing Not to Give Up
Yeison Ramirez Mendez understands that becoming an adult learner means balancing more than school.
After moving to the United States from Venezuela, Ramirez Mendez faced the challenge of learning a new language. He began taking English-language classes through Rio Salado’s adult education program and gradually found new opportunities opening around him.
“At Rio Salado, I found the opportunity to rebuild my path,” Ramirez Mendez said. “Little by little, I discovered that words could build bridges between languages, cultures and hearts. Learning English became my map to navigate a new world.”
Ramirez Mendez has since completed career training delivered in English and plans to pursue his dream of becoming a certified arborist and starting his own business.
“Being an adult learner means much more than attending classes,” Ramirez Mendez said. “It means balancing work, responsibilities, fears and hopes. It means studying even when you are exhausted and choosing, again and again, not to give up.”
Education Can Be the Beginning
Behind every adult education student is a reason for being there. It might be a goal that was put on hold, a career that requires new skills, a desire to learn English or a dream of going to college.
At Rio Salado, those goals are met with programs, resources and people who help students take the next step.
Adult education is about more than helping students earn a credential, it's about creating opportunities for people to build confidence, strengthen their skills and envision what comes next.
“Thanks to my experience at Rio, I have chosen to advance my career,” Reynolds said. “I am now a payroll administrator for a union organization. I discovered a passion for finance and numbers - a field I never thought I would pursue. I look forward to continuing my education and building a future that once seemed out of reach.”
AEFL Week is an opportunity to celebrate those journeys—and to remind anyone who has wondered if it is too late to begin that there is always an opportunity to take the next step.