San Patricio County commissioners have proclaimed September as Adult Literacy Awareness Month, recognizing the work of the Adult Literacy Council and the people who make the decision to go back to school.
For 30 years, the San Patricio County Adult Literacy Council has provided free GED and English as a Second Language classes to adults across the county. Executive Director Christina Jolly said returning to school often means overcoming more than just a difficult test.
"A lot of the adult learners that we serve, they have a lot of barriers that they have to overcome. A lot of them are working full-time jobs. You know, maybe they have small children at home. Maybe they're caring for a loved one," Jolly said.
For Joey Wilson, the journey to her GED took six years. She said the support she found at the Adult Literacy Council made the difference.
"I tried to get my GED for about six years, been in and out of GED classes. They took me in, they made me a family, and they were like, no, you're going to do this and we're going to get you going. And if it wasn't for them, I probably wouldn't be graduating," Wilson said.
Wilson earned her GED in 2026 and is now in college, working toward a career in cosmetology.
"I love dying hair. I love cutting it. I love making people feel great in their bodies and to do that you need your high school diploma so you can go to college and thanks, like I said, thanks to the school, I got my GED, and thanks to my father-in-law, I got into college," Wilson said.
Jolly said the biggest challenge is making sure people know the service exists.
"I think the biggest thing is helping us spread the word because I think a lot of times people just don't know that this service is available and that it's absolutely free," Jolly said.
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