For many students, graduation marks the end of a chapter. For the graduates of Western Connecticut Regional Adult & Continuing Education (WERACE), it represents something even more profound: the courage to begin again.

On June 3, families, educators, and community leaders gathered at Broadview Middle School to celebrate the WERACE Class of 2026, honoring adults whose journeys to a diploma were shaped by resilience, sacrifice, and determination. While balancing jobs, raising families, learning English, overcoming personal and financial challenges, or returning to the classroom after years away, each graduate proved that education has no age limit. Their stories share one powerful message: it is never too late to change your future.

Among the evening’s most inspiring moments was the recognition of Diana Torres as Student of the Year. Graduates Luis Pillco and Rosalinda Aparicio were also celebrated for beginning the program with zero high school credits and earning all 25 credits required to graduate, an achievement State Sen. Julie Kushner described as a testament to extraordinary perseverance.

“These graduates earned their diploma while managing jobs, families, and everything life throws at you,” Kushner wrote following the ceremony. “That takes real determination.”

For WERACE Regional Director Rick Raucci, Ed.D., these stories reflect the heart of adult education.

“Every graduate has a unique story, but what they all have in common is perseverance,” he said. “Many of our students are balancing full-time jobs, raising children, learning English, or overcoming financial and personal challenges while pursuing their education. Some had been away from school for decades, while others never imagined earning a high school diploma or GED was still possible.”

That belief shapes WERACE’s mission every day: to promote learning as a lifelong process and give adults the knowledge, skills, and support they need to succeed as citizens, workers, family members, and parents.

Raucci said the impact reaches far beyond the classroom.

“When adults gain new skills and confidence, they are better equipped to support their families, contribute to the workforce, engage in their communities, and create new opportunities for themselves,” he said. “We see that transformation every day.”

For those who wonder whether returning to school is still possible, Raucci offers a simple message.

“For anyone who has been thinking about returning to school, my advice is simple: take the first step,” he said. “Many of our students were nervous before walking through our doors, wondering if they were too busy or if they had waited too long. The reality is that there is no expiration date on education.”

Enrollment for WERACE’s 2026-2027 academic year begins in August, with classes starting in September. Free programs are available to residents of Danbury and the surrounding communities served by WERACE. Students also receive career navigation, workforce development, college transition support, academic advising, and connections to community resources to help them achieve their educational and career goals.

As the graduates of the Class of 2026 accepted their diplomas, they represented more than personal achievement. They stood as living proof that resilience can overcome obstacles, perseverance can rewrite a future, and one courageous first step can change not only one life, but generations to come.

For more information about WERACE programs, or to complete an interest form for the 2026-2027 academic year, visit www.werace.org. Registration begins in August, with classes starting in September.