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Text: Music by Donovan from Pixabay.

Adult Education Matters. Logo: California Adult Education Students Succeed. On the right, there is a grid of four squares. In the top left is a hexagonal logo with a drawing of a person doing welding, with an American flag in the background. The top right and bottom two squares are photos of smiling women.

Text: Adult Education Matters. Students Succeed honorees inspire, embody a resilient spirit, overcome difficult challenges, & improve their own circumstances.

2024 Statistics. 16 new honorees added. 7 agencies represented. 332 total honorees.

Introduction. Meet this year's honorees...

Visalia Adult School (1 of 2). On the left is a photo of a woman in a black and white striped top, wearing a black head scarf, facing away from us. Text: Khulood Alfareh. Khulood began in 2016 as an ESL student from Yemen. She decided to pursue the 175 credits to earn her diploma. In 2022 she dedicated between 30 and 70 hours a week online in Edgenuity. She completed her HSD Feb 9, 2024.

Colusa County Adult Education. On the right is a photo of a smiling woman wearing a blue top and baseball cap, holding up a tomato. Text: Susana Barba. Susana's involvement in Colusa County A.E. led to her GED, improved English, college, and a job at the campus greenhouse. She concurrently enrolled in ESL and earned her GED. She hopes to become a plant scientist.

San Juan Sunrise Tech Center. On the left is a photo of a smiling woman in a white dress and tiara. Text: Mariell David. The meaning of success is achieving the result of all of the efforts and sacrifices that you gave to something that you are worthy of achieving. It's not just being on the top. It's the progress, improvement, achievements and happiness of yourself on your accomplishment, something that is worth waiting for.

Soledad Adjult School (1 of 2). On the left is a photo of a smiling woman standing outside a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building, holding a certificate and waving an American flag. Text: Alma Gomez. Passing her HSE and becoming a US Citizen, Alma achieved her goals while working full time at Dole Fresh. She embodies the philosophy of Life Long Learning, she meets her goals and strives to learn more. She plans on attending Hartnell Community College. Alma balances life, work and education proving to other people that it can be done.

Norwalk-La Mirada Adult School (1 of 6). On the right is a photo of a woman in a classroom labeled Angela Gonzalez, Graduate. Text: Angela Gonzalez. Angela quit her old job working in a mortuary and decided to get into nursing. She balances work, being a single mom, and a rigorous school schedule. She's completing her prerequisites to apply to nursing programs. She is an example to a lot of other students who began as a CNA and is working toward applying to nursing programs while working to support their families.

Norwalk-La Mirada Adult School (2 of 6). On the right is a photo of a smiling woman i na white sweater over a blue top. Text: Angeline Guzman, CAEP 2024 Honoree. Angeline was forced to drop out of 3rd grade to care for her siblings due to an abusive mother. In time, she married, earned her Cosmetology certificate, and cared for her disabled son for 19 years. She completed her high school diploma and gained so much confidence. Now she's studying to become an LVN.

Norwalk-La Mirada Adult School (3 of 6). On the left is a photo of a smiling woman holding up a United States citizenship document. Text: Angelica Maria Huante. Angelica studied public accounting at the Universidad Michoacan de San Nicolás de Hidalgo. She worked as an auditor while beginning her master's program. When she moved to the U.S., she registered for ESL classes, obtained her diploma in 2019 and U.S. Citizenship. Currently she is taking courses for the Preschool/Child Care Professions Certificate Program.

Norwalk-La Mirada Adult School (4 of 6). On the right is the hexagonal icon with a drawing of a person welding in front of a U.S. flag. Text: Stephen Hughes, ACSA 24 Awardee. Stephen's hard work ethic and thirst for knowledge creates a student who is the first to lend a hand to other students, volunteer for any assignment, and the last to leave. He has become someone his fellow students trust as well as go to for advice. Despite many difficulties, Stephen is determined to turn his life around.

Fresno Adult School. On the right is a photo of a smiling man with curly hair and wearing a brown jacket. Text: Brandon Marroquin. Brandon's challenges with ADHD and speech apraxia resulted in him dropping out of traditional high school. Fortunately, he found support from a transition counselor, completed his GED, and attended Digital Literacy/Computer Tech courses at Fresno City College's Adult Ed Program. Brandon now works in their district office's IT Department repairing computers, helping with cyber security and tech support. His story was also featured on a local television news story.

Soledad Adult School (2 of 2). On the right is a photo of four people, two adults and a girl gathered around a woman in graduation robes and cap. Text: Guadalupe Navidad. Lupita enrolled in ESL classes at her children's elementary school where she began representing parents at ELAC. DLAC, and School Site Councils. Whenever help is needed, she rallies other parents to volunteer at school events. Staff say, 'Lupita to the rescue," when she shows up to help with a big smile and happy attitude. Additionally, she studied to successfully complete HiSet. She currently works in the district.

Norwalk-La Mirada Adult School (5 of 6). On the left is a photo of a smiling woman in a blue button-up shirt. Text: Ana Romo, CAEP 2024 Awardee. When she moved to L.A., she enrolled in ESL classes and eventually attended N.L.M.A.S., where she completed ESL 5, earned her U.S. Citizenship and high school diploma. At first she thought she would become a preschool teacher and completed her C.T.E.C. classes. This led to a desire to become a district school bus driver. She enjoys the students on her route and hopes to one day be a district trainer.

Norwalk-La Mirada Adult School (6 of 6). On the left is a photo of a smiling woman in a graduation cap. Text: Rasika Weerasinghe Sanjeewani. Rasika began her adult education with ECE and continued in HSD. In 2023, she graduated at the top of her class and was selected as a class speaker. Now attending Cerritos College, she continues her stellar academics enrolled with the 'Teacher Track' pathway. She will earn a teaching credential in a couple of years from C.S.U.L.B.

Folsom Cordova Adult School. On the left is a photo of two smiling women in a black and a white pant suit. Text: Muzghan and Rokhsar Seerat. "The twins attribute their success, in large part, to the support and education they received from Folsom Cordova Adult School and the FCCP Job Center. The adult school was very good because it taught us English, which helped us get accepted into the training that landed our career," said Muzhgan. "We are in a real career! When we see other Afghan young women like us who came from Afghanistan at the same time, we can see that they have not come as far. Right now, we are so happy.

Visalia Adult School (2 of 2). On the right is a photo of a smiling woman in a pink top with a white jacket. Text: Jazzmyn Williams, ACSA 2024 Awardee. In 2021, she enrolled in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program, eventually transferring to the High School Diploma (HSD) program in May of 2023. She entered the HSD program needing just 10 credits to graduate. She worked tenaciously to master competency skills and the curriculum, ultimately completing in March of 2024. After completing HSD, she immediately enrolled in the A.B.E. Pre-CTE program to bring her reading comprehension score up to the requisite level for our Medical programs track.

Nomination Window opens January 1, 2025, closes March 21, 2025. A QR code is in the bottom center with the URL: bit dot L.Y. slash 3 W.G. 8 m 1 2. Logo: California Adult Education Students Succeed.

Text: We appreciate you! Thank you for taking time to recognize! Logos: Folsom Cordova Adult School. NLM. Visalia Adult School. Soledad Unified School District. Colusa County Adult School. San Juan Unified. Fresno Adult School.