Robert E. Burton Adult School held a commencement ceremony at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center on July 31, 2026. 78 residents were honored for their commitment and dedication to growth, rehabilitation, and transformation. Families, invited guests, and educators filled the chairs of the Learning Center as the graduates lined the hallway waiting for their grand entrance.
Incarcerated band, The Greater Good, created a lively atmosphere by playing music while guests and visitors mingled. The ceremony began with the presentation and posting of colors by the Veterans Group of San Quentin.
Principal J. Henderson emceed the event, thanking families, friends, and educators for providing a supportive environment for residents seeking personal growth.
Chief Deputy Warden E. Patao delivered opening remarks, highlighting the uniqueness of the graduating class. He emphasized the significance of the new Learning Center, describing it as more than just a structure but a symbol of shared belief in the transformative power of education.
“Today, as we celebrate in this beautiful new Learning Center, we are reminded that this building represents far more than a structure,” Patao said. “It represents a shared belief that education is worth investing in because each and every one of you have shown us that you’re worth investing in.”
Keynote speaker Bidhan Chandra Roy, Ph.D shared an experience he had after meeting a woman at a Rising Scholars conference in Sacramento, CA, which made him question his approach.
“The details of her story were very different from mine, but the story was almost the same,” Bidhan said. “We had nothing to run away from home at 15, and many of the things that happened in her life were the same in mine.”
During the commencement ceremony, 78 graduates from various programs were honored and called upon. These programs included Career Technical Education: Vocational Plumbing (1), Vocational Painting (4), Peer Literacy Mentor Certification (14), Academic Education: High School Diploma (6) and Equivalency-GED (36), and College (17).
After the ceremony, graduates and their family members gathered outside the multipurpose room to take pictures together, capturing the moment of celebration and gratitude.
