Ashva Mackley selected as NM Adult Education Association student ambassador
April 23, 2025
TECC student and New Mexico Adult Education Association (NMAEA) Student Ambassador Ashva Mackley (center) joined fellow Student Ambassador Deborah Maria Glauss de Lima (Central New Mexico Community College) to share a joyful moment during the recent Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) 2025 National Adult Education Conference in Dallas. The COABE mission is to promote adult education and literacy opportunities nationally and internationally.
By Ashva Mackley
Hello, my name is Ashva Mackley. I am who I am, and I am proud of it. I was born in Wickenburg, Arizona, and lived in California until the seventh grade. I moved to Taos, New Mexico, as an adult.
My story started in the third grade. I had a lot of learning issues and didn't feel like I fit into normal classes. I was reading and writing upside down and backward and didn’t know why. My third-grade teacher was really mean and yelled at me all the time. She threw me out of class. My self-esteem was on the floor. I felt like a bag of trash. I decided school was not for me. I ditched class every day and hid in the park up in the trees..
My mom pulled me out of school, and she was threatened with being put in jail. She fought the school system. I was bounced around from school to school until I was tested and diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. I was then placed into mentally challenged classes. I was segregated from the rest of the school, but eventually I met a beautiful teacher whom I had a crush on. For the first time, I started learning and paying attention. The way she read to us had passion and excitement, and the stories came alive. My imagination grew wild as she read stories about fairylands, monsters, and imaginary creatures, and things of that kind of nature. It made me wonder like no other.
At the age of 54, I heard about the adult education program (Taos Education and Career Center) at UNM-Taos. I was amazed that there's something like this out there to help people like me. This program has been beneficial for my mental health, self-esteem, and confidence in going back to school at this age. It has given me a purpose to give back by sharing the trials, tribulations, and successes of my life to help others. I have learned it’s never too late to start again and reach towards my goals in life’s journey. It has shown me that I am worth it, I can learn again, and get back on my feet. My goal for the future is to be in a better place today than I was yesterday. I can't change the past, but the future is bright.
Ashva is a fantastic communicator, a dedicated student, and a kind-hearted individual with a strong sense of altruism. We are proud of his accomplishments and grateful for his contribution to such a meaningful program.
—UNM-Taos Student Resource Navigator Cami Hartman.
I encourage people to do adult education—it is the key to a better life. It’s good to find the right people to help you unlock the knowledge of how you need to learn, because we all learn differently. There’s no wrong way to learn as long as you’re getting there and it feels good learning. I know this from my personal experience at the Taos Education and Career Center.
I represent other people with learning disabilities and people who struggle with mental health issues. My message is not to give up; challenges in life will push your boundaries for learning.
Without funding adult education, I would be back digging in trash cans for food.
