For the last four and a half years, I have served on the board for the Maryland Association for Adult, Community and Continuing Education (MAACCE) pronounced “mace.”

MAACCE’s mission is to provide an annual conference and other professional development for about 350 teachers and other staff who serve Maryland adults  learning to read or basic skills, learning English or working on their high school diplomas. We also advocate with state and federal leaders for funding for adult literacy programs.

Our conference starts in two days, and along with about 60 workshops, we have guest speakers and lots of fun and good food. The MAACCE board is all volunteer with one part-time coordinator, and we work hard all year planning this conference.

Why do I serve on this board? I enjoying serving the hard-working teachers who work with adult learners throughout the state. Maryland has around 500,000 adults who lack a high school diploma, which keeps them from accessing many jobs and most job training programs.  As a teacher, myself, I have met many adult learners, who inspire me with their drive to make better lives for themselves and their families. Both the adult students and the teachers are my heroes.

At MAACCE 2017, I will give a presentation on WorkWise. If you want to know more about MAACCE, visit www