When I started teaching in Adult Education in 2009, I had no idea the power of adult learning.  Adult learners are learning for the purpose of changing their lives.  They are changing the stories of their families, of their communities.  They are mothers, fathers, children sending money to home countries, and in many cases fighting against the odds to break the bonds of generational poverty.  They are determined and they deserve a chance.

There are many reasons adults need a second chance to earn their high school diplomas: death of a parent at an early age, the need to work to support families, early parenthood, childhood illness, inadequate and dangerous schools, and little access to education, particularly for girls, in the countries they grew up in. All arrive in adult education classes woefully underprepared academically, mainly as a result of deep poverty. Yet it is amazing how many of these students “catch fire” in the process of continuing their education. They thrive. They change their ideas about themselves. They become students. Many begin to dream of college.

Unfortunately their dreams of college are too seldom realized. Only 6% of those who earn HSE diplomas make it through one year of college. The principal reason is financial. Most simply do not have the money to attend college full time and complete degree programs. Jobs and families take precedent. Also, many adult students don’t have others to rely on help them navigate their college experience and academic workload.

That is why I founded the WithinReach Foundation—to give the deserving adult learners studying in our classes a fighting chance at completing the higher education they might otherwise only dream about. With your help, we will award full college scholarships each year to applicants whom we believe will succeed in college and make a positive difference in their communities. WithinReach Foundation will create networking events so that these students become ambassadors to the larger adult learning community. It is within your reach to bring college education within reach of these amazing High School Equivalency achievers.