TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — 60 adults received their high school equivalency diplomas Thursday at Pima Community College, each arriving at the milestone by a different path.
For Michelle Aurore Reeder, the journey took 45 years.
"It's been 45 years since I was in high school...It all started with a pinky promise to my cousin and a job interview," Reeder said.
Reeder experienced homelessness during her high school years, forcing her education to take a back seat to more immediate needs.
"I was basically in survival mode. It put education down the totem pole," Reeder said.
Decades later, after being rejected from a job because she lacked a diploma, Reeder made a promise to her cousin to finish what she had started. She found support along the way through Pima Community College's Adult Education program.
"Every step of the way, I was met with lovely instructors who were just really encouraging," Reeder said.
Students in PCC Adult Education Programs take classes in math, literacy, and more to fulfill the requirements for an HSE.
Laurie Kierstead, assistant vice chancellor of PCC Adult Basic Education, says the program is designed to meet students where they are in life.
"These are adults who are balancing busy lives, and they're either balancing work, or kids or both while coming into class in the morning or in the evening. Not everyone's education experience is positive. Not everyone had the support to get to the finish line the first time, so Adult ED is here to meet folks where they are," Kierstead said.
For Reeder, crossing the finish line meant keeping a promise — to her family and to herself.
"It wasn't easy, I had a lot of tears, I didn't think I was gonna make it. But this means that I started something and I finished it," Reeder said.
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JJ McKinney joined KGUN 9 in July of 2025 as a multimedia journalist. He graduated from Colorado State University in May of 2025 with a degree in journalism and media communications and a minor in law. With a background in investigative reporting and documentary filmmaking, JJ is dedicated to giving a platform to the voices of his community. Share your story ideas and important issues with JJ by emailing jj.mckinney@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
