Adult Education: A Catalyst for Change

Briana, 33 and a Latina mother of four in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, recently completed free adult education classes at PUENTE Learning Center. Having long dreamed of getting her high school diploma, she is proud to show her children that – with determination and the right support – you can achieve anything. 

This year, after several years of study, Briana proudly earned her diploma. Along the way, she received a $1,000 scholarship from PUENTE that helped ease the financial pressures that many adult students face. Now, Briana is getting enrolled at a local professional school to become a hospital assistant. 

“I’m so grateful to PUENTE and their counselors and staff for all their help,” Briana says, “and I just can’t wait to complete my schooling.”

Adult education has become PUENTE Learning Center’s largest program, enrolling 775 students just last year. The Boyle Heights-based nonprofit offers a robust package of English language classes, high school coursework, and workforce readiness. 

“It’s really a special intervention – doing adult education – because the students don’t have to be here,” says Matt Wells, PUENTE Learning Center’s vice president of advancement. “They’re choosing to go back and improve their lives.”

Founded in 1985 with a focus on multi-generational education, PUENTE originally offered a tutoring program for elementary school children and ESL classes for adults – often the parents or grandparents of the kids. Four decades later, PUENTE Learning Center has evolved into an aspirational bridge to education for over 2,000 people every year. The organization operates a preschool program, a Los Angeles Unified School District-authorized charter elementary school, and a 10-year college and career readiness program, in addition to their adult programs. All housed in a recently upgraded 50,000-square-foot facility.

And PUENTE’s reach extends beyond education. Because, as Wells notes, 84 percent of PUENTE Learning Center’s students qualify as low-income, they see a substantial need for services outside of the classroom. Through PUENTE’s community services, students can access free food, health screenings, counseling, and “know your rights” presentations
for immigrants.

Recent immigration raids and racial profiling have caused heightened fear and anxiety for families in the community. Youth summer camps saw drops in attendance. Jerome Greening, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer, says PUENTE has put measures in place to keep families updated, informed, and safe. 

In these turbulent times, PUENTE Learning Center is working harder than ever to help families overcome challenges, continue their education, and build brighter futures across generations.