2023 COABE Awards

Outstanding Adult Learner

Mallory Balch

Indiana
Center of Workforce Innovations – Valparaiso Adult Learning Center

The Outstanding Adult Learner Award is provided to a student who has demonstrated leadership within the formal or non-traditional learning environments. This award is given to a student who has overcome difficult circumstances to pursue adult learning, who has supported other adult learners, and who has managed significant adult responsibilities such as those related to employment, family or community.

Winner Bio

 

Outstanding Teacher

Alex Beene

Tennessee
Tennessee Adult Education

The Outstanding Teacher, Edgar M. Easley Award, is provided to a practitioner with five or more years of adult education teaching experience that participates in school and community activities. This award is given to an individual who understands the characteristics of the adult learner and who is committed to the adult/continuing education profession.

Winner Bio

Sponsored by English Discoveries

 

 

Outstanding Administrator

Sophie Tan

Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of Education

The Outstanding Administrator Award is awarded to an adult education administrator with five or more years of experience who has made an outstanding contribution toward fostering the concept of education as a continuing life-process. The awardee must demonstrate a contribution to adult education at the community, state, and/or national levels.

Winner Bio

Sponsored by Full Capacity Marketing

 

Local Excellence in Advocacy

Sara Haghighi

Arizona
Pima Community College, Adult Education for College & Career

COABE places a high emphasis on members advocating for adult education at the local, state, and federal level. 

Winner Bio

Sponsored by Essential Education

 

Advancing Workforce Development for Adult Learners Award

St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center

Michigan

COABE’s Workforce Development Award honors one of the following:

  1. Workforce Development Board;
  2. Workplace / Employer; or
  3. Adult Education Program that has implemented programming or initiatives that advance career pathways and workforce opportunities for adult learners.

Adult Education programs, associations or state offices may submit nominations for organizations or programs that have advanced workforce development for adult learners through best practices that integrate workforce skills training with adult education and are responsive to regional or local workforce needs.

Winner Bio

Sponsored by Essential Education

 

State Innovation

Bright from the Start

Georgia
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning and The Technical College System of Georgia, Office of Adult Education

Does your state have an exciting new initiative or best practice that can be scaled and replicated in other states? If so, please consider nominating your state for State Innovation Award. Entries typically highlight state agencies, state associations, or state led consortium, however entries are not limited to these categories.

Winner Bio

Sponsored by Essential Education

 

Scholarship Grant

Lara Speights

Texas
Texas A&M University

The COABE Scholarship Grant is presented to recipients to fund, or partially fund, college level courses of study that will advance the professional standing of COABE practitioners. Examples of scholarships include employees or volunteers in the field of adult basic education earning a degree or a state certificate/credential; obtaining an ESL certificate; teacher/counselor obtaining counselor/administrative credential; earning an advanced degree in adult education.

Winner Bio

Incentive Grant

Literacy Network

Wisconsin

The COABE Incentive Grant Award is presented to recipients to support activities or projects in the field of adult basic education through the secondary level.

 


State Innovation

Does your state have an exciting new initiative or best practice that can be scaled and replicated in other states? If so, please consider nominating your state for State Innovation Award. Entries typically highlight state agencies, state associations, or state led consortium, however entries are not limited to these categories.

Nominate Today

Sponsored by Essential Education


Scholarship Grant

The COABE Scholarship Grant is presented to recipients to fund, or partially fund, college level courses of study that will advance the professional standing of COABE practitioners. Examples of scholarships include employees or volunteers in the field of adult basic education earning a degree or a state certificate/credential; obtaining an ESL certificate; teacher/counselor obtaining counselor/administrative credential; earning an advanced degree in adult education.

Nominate Today

 


Incentive Grant

The COABE Incentive Grant Award is presented to recipients to support activities or projects in the field of adult basic education through the secondary level.

Nominate Today


Programs Succeed when Learners Lead Incentive Grant

The Programs Succeed When Learners Lead Incentive grant is split into $1500 to support a Student Leadership project at one adult education program and $500 to facilitate travel to and registration for COABE 2024, where the grant recipient will present on the process for creating and the results of their Student Leadership initiative.

Learn More and Apply

 


 

Behind Every Employer Incentive Grant

 COABE has partnered with Full Capacity Marketing (FCM) to provide an incentive grant and technical assistance to an adult education organization that can demonstrate effectiveness in engaging employers with multiple workforce and education partners. Note that you must register your organization to get on the Behind Every Employer locator map.

Nominate Today

Sponsored by EnGen