AEL students win Adult Learner of the Year awards for eighth-straight year

Kilgore College Adult Education students Katherine Colteaux, Shynese Hamilton and Sylvia Monsisvais received student awards for the East Region at the 2023 Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education (TALAE) Conference on Feb. 10 in Houston.

This is the eighth year-in-a-row that KC Adult Education and Literacy students have taken home student awards.

Awards presented included High School Equivalency (HSE) Adult Learner of the Year, English Language Adult Learner of the Year and Career Pathways Adult Learner of the Year (a new category added this year to recognize students who have completed a career pathway or workforce training program).

Colteaux, of Longview, received the 2023 High School Equivalency (HSE) Adult Learner of the Year award. She is a 2022 GED graduate.

Hamilton, of Longview, also a 2022 GED graduate, 2022 National Adult Education Honor Society inductee and credentialed nurse aide, received the 2023 Career Pathways Adult Learner of the Year award.

Monsisvais, of Henderson, who is currently working toward her GED, received the 2023 English Language Adult Learner of the Year award.

The Career Pathways Adult Learner of the Year award is a new student award category presented to a student who has demonstrated leadership within formal or non-traditional learning environments.

This award is given to a student who has overcome difficult circumstances, who has supported other adult learners and who has demonstrated success throughout the completion of an integrated educational training program.

TALAE presents awards annually to top students in Texas based on students’ academics, effort, persistence, leadership and community involvement.

The East Region includes students from the Oklahoma border to Conroe and the Louisiana border to Kaufman.

For more information on the Adult Education and Literacy program at KC, visit www.kilgore.edu/AEL.

About TALAE:

The Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education was formed in 1968 as the Texas Association for Continuing Adult Education with the purpose of providing professional development, networking, and statewide recognition to adult education programs in Texas. Any person involved or interested in any facet of adult education is invited to join the TALAE organization to promote adult education in Texas. This organization offers membership to educators across the state as well as adult education students. When a student becomes a member of TALAE, he or she also becomes a member of COABE-Coalition on Adult Basic Education. Students have the opportunity to be nominated by their instructor and win a monetary award based on their academics, effort, persistence, leadership and community involvement.