Proclamation 2017-022 - Adult Education and Literacy Day - 2/22/2017.

              2017-022
STATE OF NEW MEXICO EXECUTIVE OFFICE SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
WHEREAS, THE NEED FOR A HIGHLY-LITERATE CITIZENRY ACCELERATES
AS NEW MEXICO MOVES TOWARD AN INCREASINGLY-TECFINOLOGICAL FUTURE;
AND
WHEREAS, MORE THAN 40 PERCENT OF NEW MEXICO'S ADULTS HAVE
PROBLEMS WITH LITERACY ISSUES THAT SEVERELY IMPACT THEIR LIVES AND
FAMILIES, THEIR ABILITY TO WORK PRODUCTIVELY, AND THEIR FULL
PARTICIPATION AS CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS OF OUR STATE; AND
WHEREAS, MORE THAN 400,000 ADULTS IN NEW MEXICO DO NOT HAVE A
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND/OR ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS; AND
WHEREAS, NEW MEXICO'S COMMUNITY COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND
VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDED BASIC
SKILLS, WORKPLACE DEVELOPMENT, AND LITERACY SERVICES TO 14,564
ADULTS DURING THE 2015-2016 PROGRAM YEAR; AND
WHEREAS, 1499 ADULT STUDENTS RECEIVED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL
EQUIVALENCY CREDENTIAL (HSE), 1187 ENROLLED IN POSTSECONDARY
EDUCATION OR TRAINING, AND OVER 4742 ENTERED OR RETAINED
EMPLOYMENT; AND
WHEREAS, THE NEW MEXICO HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, THE
NEW MEXICO ADULT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, NEW MEXICO ADULT
EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND NEW MEXICO'S COMMUNITY-BASED AND
NONPROFIT LITERACY ORGANIZATIONS ARE JOINTLY COMMITTED TO
ERADICATING ILLITERACY IN OUR STATE; AND
WHEREAS, THIS ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL
TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE, PROMOTING ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND
BUILDING AN INFORMED AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENRY THROUGHOUT NEW
MEXICO;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, SUSANA MARTINEZ, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF
NEW MEXICO, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 22nd, 2017, AS
"ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY DAY"
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.
SIGNED AT THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE
THIS 20th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2017.
WITNESS MY HAND AND THE GREAT
SEAL OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO
ATTEST:
SUSANA MARTINEZ
GOVERNOR
MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER
SECRETARY OF STATE