A late thunderstorm couldn’t dampen the joy and celebration of the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Adult Education Program’s graduating class of 2026.
After a late surge of students rushed to get to the finish line, the Adult Education Program celebrated 47 graduates at its commencement exercises on Thursday, June 18, at Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School.
“As always, it’s a super special occasion,” APS Adult Education program administrator Dr. Monique Brown said. “This graduating class, we probably have had the most underage youths and students come in and finishing in record time. It’s just an exhilarating and really heartwarming experience.”
(Photos by: Jessica Mynatt/ APS)
The APS Adult Education Program is a free program that provides wrap-around services, short-term training, English as a Second Language, High School Equivalency programs, and a variety of career services.
“It is never too late. We have 16 – 81-year-olds in our classes and programs, and they are just as committed as anyone else with their goals and aspirations,” Dr. Brown said. “Adult Education is unique because it’s a self-paced program. What determines when they finish is their grit and grind, their determination, and their commitment to their educational goals.”
Several of the underage youths in the class of 2026 finished the program in under six weeks. Some have already received promotions at their jobs and even wage increases now that they have received their high school credentials.
This year’s Adult Education Exceptional Scholar, Kevin Weaver, who is planning to apply to Atlanta Technical College, followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Kedarius Weaver, who completed the Adult Education Program five months earlier.
“Graduating just gives me a fire to keep going and better my life even more,” Kevin said. “This is a big shoutout to literally everybody I dealt with at the APS Adult Education Center because I literally wouldn’t be here without them. They motivated me to complete my test, even if they had to come get me, drive me, and take me themselves. They were going to make sure that I got the tests done.”
Donny Dorsey, an aspiring auto mechanic who works at Publix, finished the program in less than two months and already has plans to apply to Atlanta Technical College to further his education.
“I knew I needed to do more for myself and I asked Jesus about it. This website popped up about adult education, and it was free,” he said. “This program helped me better my life so I can follow my dream to be a mechanic.”
For all of the Adult Education graduates, the graduation ceremony was a moment to celebrate not only their achievement, but the increased potential they created for themselves and their families.
Congratulations to the APS Adult Education Class of 2026! For more information on the APS Adult Education Program, visit the APS website or call (404) 802-3560. Starting July 6, you can visit the Adult Education offices at 433 Peeples Street.