Austin Community College District (ACC) celebrates 28 students who are taking their next steps in life after earning their General Educational Development (GED) certificate. Their certification program was made possible through a partnership between ACC, Austin Voices for Education & Youth, and Southwest Key Programs.

A special completion ceremony was held Saturday, July 26, at ACC’s Northridge Campus, honoring graduates who balanced work, family, and school to achieve a goal that will shape the rest of their lives.

Among them is Blanca Angelica Landeros, a 39-year-old single mother of two who says the moment wasn’t just about a diploma but setting an example. 

“I decided to earn a GED because I wanted to graduate first and give my kids an example that it’s never too late. With dedication and perseverance, we can achieve anything we dream.” 

She described her son Christian, 17, and daughter Jeralyn, 15, as her pride and motivation.

“I love to learn and keep studying when I have the opportunity,” she says. “When we have kids, it’s so hard to keep up in school because for most parents, we need to work so hard for family, and school is not easy for us. But my favorite part is when teachers teach us with love and patience and how they can help all the time with their students.”

Blanca now has her sights set on becoming a preschool teacher. 

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Acompañando a Blanca, está Brenda, una madre de tres hijos de 46 años, quien comparte con orgullo su deseo de ser un ejemplo para sus hijos.

“Lo que más me gustó fue poder socializar, sentirme parte de ACC y romper con la rutina del hogar. Siempre les digo a otros que nunca es tarde para aprender, crecer académicamente y también como persona. No hay que decir ‘no puedo’—aquí estoy como prueba de que sí se puede. Gracias de corazón a ACC y Austin Voices por ser parte de mi presente… y de mi futuro.”

These students are now eligible for ACC’s Free Tuition program. For more information, visit austincc.edu/freetuition.

Tags: Austin Voices, Free Tuition, GED, Northridge Campus, Southwest Key Programs