Here’s Your Chance to Recognize the Fabulous People Who Contribute to Your Program!

Honor your students, volunteers and community partners with a statewide award!

We are excited to announce that nomination forms are online for the Minnesota Literacy Council’s annual ABE awards event. Not only that, but the awards ceremony (and the annual student reading from the Journeys Anthology of Adult Student Writing that follows) has a new home this year: the Minnesota History Center, 345 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. The new space will allow us to accommodate more award winners, readers and guests. As an added bonus, the event will be held on a Tuesday night – May 8, 2018 – when the History Center is free to the public (there is usually an entrance fee to view the exhibits), so come early and take a walk through the galleries!

As you think about the people or groups you’d like to honor, please read our nomination guidelines. All nominations are due Friday, March 2, 2018. Nomination forms can be accessed through the links below or at mnliteracy.org/educators/awards-ceremony-journeys-readings/award-nominations.

• Outstanding Learner Awards are for students who have made unique contributions to adult literacy or achieved remarkable learning gains. The top two Outstanding Learner recipients will be chosen to receive a $250 Lucille Fisher Award. This special recognition is offered in memory of Lucille Fischer, who was a beloved ABE teacher and the first instructional supervisor for the St. Paul Public Schools ABE/GED program in 1970. Under Lucy’s leadership, St. Paul became the first program in Minnesota to hold a GED graduation ceremony with caps and gowns. Lucy was also a founding member of the former professional organization, the Minnesota Association for Continuing Adult Education (MACAE).
• Outstanding Volunteer Awards are for volunteers who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and creativity through their involvement in adult literacy.
• Volunteer Service Hour Awards are for volunteers who have served 1,000 hours or more.
• Community Partnership Awards are for organizations that have supported or collaborated with adult literacy programs to provide enhanced learning opportunities for students.

A committee of Minnesota Literacy Council staff and board members, along with volunteer coordinators from partner ABE programs, will choose awardees. Kraemer Grant recipients will be chosen by a committee of donors and advisors who oversee the Kraemer Fund. Recipients and their nominators will be notified of the committee’s decisions in April and awards will be presented May 8, 2018 at the 3M Auditorium at the Minnesota History Center, before the Journeys student readings. Look for more information about this event to come.

We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of volunteers, learners and community partners in adult education with you!

Questions? Contact us!

Wendy Vang Roberts, Volunteer Outreach Manager, [email protected] / 651-251-9063
Cathy Grady, Literacy Services Director, [email protected] / 651-251-9068