By: Jasmine West
For years, earning his high school diploma remained unfinished business for Davonta Hence.
Hence, a 33-year-old Detroit father of five, had tried returning to school before, but life repeatedly got in the way. Between working as a custodian for the Detroit Public Schools Community District, raising children ranging from 1 to 12 years old and managing the responsibilities of adulthood, completing his education seemed increasingly difficult.
Then, a conversation at work changed his direction.
While working at the former Northern High School building, Hence met an instructor connected to DPSCD’s Adult Education program. He asked whether it was still possible to enroll.
“I was second-guessing myself,” Hence said. “I had tried in the past, and I didn’t complete it. But I took that chance.”
That decision led Hence back into the classroom and, within a matter of months, across the graduation stage.
Hence earned his high school diploma through DPSCD’s Adult Education High School Completion program during the 2025-26 school year. His accomplishment was later recognized during a DPSCD Board of Education meeting, where he met Superintendent Nikolai Vitti and district board members.
For Hence, the recognition represented more than receiving a credential. It marked the completion of a goal he had carried for years and an opportunity to show his children what perseverance looks like.
“I wanted to show my kids that it’s never too late and not to ever give up,” Hence said. “Just to see the smiles on my kids’ faces and for them to know their dad is still trying and still can do it — that meant a lot.”
DPSCD’s Adult Education program serves adults age 18 and older who want to earn a traditional high school diploma or prepare for a high school equivalency credential, commonly known as the GED. The program also offers English as a Second Language courses and employment assistance intended to connect graduates with high-demand careers.
Dikea Riley, DPSCD’s deputy executive director for Adult Education, said the program is designed to meet adult learners wherever they are, including those who may feel embarrassed or discouraged about returning to school later in life.
“Oftentimes, many adult learners feel embarrassed about having to come back and earn their diploma,” Riley said. “We encourage them that it’s never too late to learn. It’s something they should not be ashamed to do, and we support them along the way.”
That support became especially important for Hence when his father died while he was completing the program.
Hence said he briefly fell behind in his classes while grieving. After learning about his loss, Riley called to check on him and determine whether he still planned to continue.
“It was a rough time for me, but I wasn’t giving up,” Hence said.
He continued attending classes while working and caring for his children. At home, his children watched as he completed assignments after finishing his custodial shifts.
“They would say, ‘Dad is busy,’” Hence recalled. “They saw that even though I go to work, I still work when I get off. You can’t always just work your job. You have to work on yourself, too.”
Riley described adult education as “a work of heart,” particularly because each student enters the program with a different set of challenges, responsibilities and reasons for returning.
The program has also offered wraparound assistance, including transportation support. Child care was previously available but was discontinued because of funding limitations. Riley said she hopes the service can eventually return, particularly because many adult learners are also parents.
DPSCD has operated adult education programming in different forms for more than 50 years. At various points, the district offered classes through community and faith-based organizations before moving to centralized adult education sites on Detroit’s east and west sides.
The program now operates through district facilities and partnerships with Detroit at Work, with programming available at locations including Durfee Innovation Society and the Ross Career Center.
Riley, a graduate of Cass Technical High School, has spent her entire professional career with Detroit Public Schools and DPSCD. She began teaching mathematics at Southeastern High School in 1999 before moving into district leadership. She joined the Adult Education department in 2021.
Although she is no longer a full-time classroom teacher, Riley said the program allows her to remain close to the work that first drew her to education.
“This is an awesome place,” she said. “It’s so rewarding.”
For students such as Hence, that work restores opportunities they may have believed were no longer within reach. Adult Education graduates are even given some of the traditional high school experiences they may have missed, including a graduation ceremony and an adult prom.
Hence attended the prom despite initially feeling hesitant.
“I’m not a very social person,” he said. “But I thought, I didn’t get the chance to do it then, so I might as well do it now. I danced a little bit, even though I can’t dance. I had fun.”
His message to other Detroit adults considering returning to school is straightforward.
“Don’t ever give up,” Hence said. “You might think you can’t do it, or that you don’t have time, but take that first step. You’ll be surprised how far you can actually get.”
He also wants prospective students to know they will not have to complete the journey alone.
“You might feel like you’re alone in it, but you’re not,” Hence said. “Once you take that first step, you’re going to have a whole family and a support system with them.”
Adults interested in DPSCD’s Adult Education program can learn more or begin the registration process at detroitk12.org/adulteducation.
