San Juan College ACE Center Wins Three Statewide Adult Education Awards

San Juan College’s Academic and Career Engagement Center, known as ACE, was honored with three major statewide awards at the New Mexico Adult Education Association Conference, according to reporting by the Tri City Record on November 14, 2025. State officials from the New Mexico Higher Education Department presented awards recognizing the center for the highest high school equivalency attainment rate, the highest measurable skills gains in English as a second language, and the highest adult education measurable skills gains across the state.

The awards reflect record performance and graduation rates for ACE and position the center as a statewide leader in adult education, workforce readiness, and literacy programs. College and state education officials singled out the work of ACE director Jennifer Martinez Maestas and the center’s staff for collaborative, student centered efforts that have helped transform lives. The recognition highlights both program effectiveness and the broader role adult education plays in community development.

ACE provides adult education classes, high school equivalency preparation, and English as a second language instruction aimed at helping students reach employment goals or pursue higher education. For San Juan County residents, those services translate into practical gains that extend beyond classroom achievement. Improved literacy and credential attainment increase opportunities for higher wages, more stable jobs, and employer eligibility, all of which are linked to better health outcomes and greater economic security.

From a public health perspective, adult education is a social determinant of health. When adults attain credentials, improve language skills, and access training that leads to work or continued education, they are more likely to secure stable income, health insurance, and resources that support physical and mental wellbeing. For communities with large populations of nonnative English speakers and working families, locally accessible programs such as ACE help reduce inequities by removing barriers to learning and employment.

The awards also carry implications for policy and funding priorities at the local and state levels. Recognition at the conference underscores the impact of targeted adult education programming and may inform future investments by state agencies, community partners, and employers seeking a skilled workforce. ACE’s success offers a model for other counties aiming to connect adult learning with pathways to employment and higher education.

As San Juan County stakeholders consider strategies to strengthen workforce development and health equity, ACE’s achievement reinforces the importance of sustained support for adult education. The center’s results demonstrate that student centered instruction combined with collaborative community partnerships can yield measurable gains that benefit individual learners and the broader community.