Over the past six decades, Alabama’s Adult Education Programs have been transformed by a quiet revolution that has been extraordinarily successful.

It was my honor to be able to speak to the Annual Adult Education Conference at the downtown Montgomery Renaissance Center in late June.

When I accepted their invitation to speak, I thought there would be 50 to 60 attendees. However, when I walked in, I amazingly saw over 400 passionate, positive, energized educators and administrators that filled the venue.

It quickly dawned on me that we have one of the most successful Adult Education Programs in America. These folks in attendance are dedicated to their work. It is their passion and purpose. It is nothing short of a movement that has changed generations and continues to redefine what opportunity means in our state.

This was not just a professional development conference, it was a celebration of purpose, perseverance, and the power of education to transform lives at any age.

Adult education is too often viewed narrowly, through the lens of GED attainment. While that remains a foundational component, this year’s conference emphasized a much broader and more dynamic vision – one that includes digital literacy, English language acquisition, employability skills, workforce certifications, and the alignment of career pathways that lead to sustainable employment.

A key highlight of the conference was the discussion of the newly enacted REACH Act (Restoring Educational Advancement of Completing High School), Alabama’s High School diploma option program. This important Act was sponsored by then Representative, now State Senator Matt Woods of Jasper.

Participants also explored a variety of employability and technical training programs offered through the Alabama Community College Innovation Center. These skills for success courses are designed to equip adult learners with real-world, in-demand skills that directly support Alabama’s economic growth.

This 60th anniversary event also served as a tribute to the legends and heroes of adult education in Alabama. First on the list of legends was the late Representative Pete Turnham of Auburn. Pete is considered the Father of Adult Education in Alabama.

The reason I was asked to speak was not as a political columnist, author, or Alabama political historian, but to share my experiences and personal knowledge of Mr. Pete Turnham as his friend and legislative colleague.

Mr. Pete and I sat next to each other for almost two decades in the Alabama House of Representatives. He was not only my mentor and friend, but he was like a father. My two daughters thought of him like a grandfather. He was truly a good man. He cared about Alabama. He especially cared about Auburn. He was dedicated to education in our state.

Pete Turnham was a child of the Great Depression. He achieved success in business along with being the “Dean of the House of Representatives.” When he retired from the legislature in 1998, he had served longer than anyone in state history. Mr. Pete never talked about it much, but he was a World War II hero. He fought with General Patton in Europe. Mr. Pete epitomized “The Greatest Generation.”

During his many years in the legislature, Pete served on the House Ways and Means Committee, which appropriates money. Through his Seat, he garnered a $1 million appropriation singularly for adult education. This was a large amount of money at that time and the first for adult education in Alabama.

Pete Turnham was a towering figure in Alabama’s legislative history and an unrelenting champion for nontraditional learners. Mr. Pete’s advocacy was deeply personal, grounded in the belief that education was not a privilege, but a right – no matter your age or station in life. A scholarship bears Pete Turnham’s name, continuing his legacy by helping adult learners return to the classroom.

The sheer turnout at this 60th anniversary event conference reinforced what many of us in politics should understand, there is a hunger for education in our state. While budgets and ballot boxes dominate headlines, investments in adult education quietly yield some of the greatest returns.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at [email protected].