The Taft Correctional Institution in Taft, California recently held an INEA graduation, an accomplishment for Mexican nationals compared to achieving a GED in the United States. Virginia Friend is Taft’s INEA Coordinator.

“For those of you who don’t know what INEA stands for, it stands for Institute Nacional para la Educacion de Los Adultos. It is a program for adult education for those who did not go to school at all or did not finish school.”

Those who complete the INEA program at Taft are better equipped to improve their circumstances in their home country once they are released.

“I’m very happy with the great effort that the staff has put forth,” says graduate David Lozana-Alvarado. “And I thank my teachers. Because of them I finished INEA. They’re very efficient here with the program they have.”

David Preciado, the Mexican Consul General was a guest at the graduation.

“I wanted to say thank you to Ms. Virginia Friend because her support is something that really made this happen, along with all the tutors, everyday, here at Taft. It makes this program the strongest program in all the United States.”

Another graduate, Hernan Galviz-Sombra, said,

“I’m very grateful to the Taft Institution for giving me the opportunity to be a tutor; to be a participant in these events in this institution. I’m grateful to Ms. Friend for giving me the opportunity to participate in these events, and for giving the best effort, so we can achieve our goal of finishing our INEA.”

Noe Sanchez-Reyes is also a graduate.

“I want to thank the Taft Institution of California for allowing me to finish my INEA,” he said. “I want to invite my countrymen here to continue with their studies, because we don’t have this opportunity in Mexico, in our country. Thank you, Ms. Friend, for giving us the opportunity, and Mr. Chavez, the tutor that helped us to achieve this goal. Let’s move forward. This is a proud moment for me and my family, for my parents, for a lot of people right here. Thank you to everyone for this opportunity.”