ACE of Florida Awards 13| Future of work Florida

Ace of florida students of the year

Each year, adult education programs around Florida submit nominations to ACE of Florida for selection as Adult Education Sunshine Success Stories. The Sunshine Success Stories identifies learners who have reached their life goals because of their participation in Florida’s adult education system.

Yodit Habtu

Yodit Habtu came to the United States in 2013 from Eritrea, Africa with an 11th grade education, limited English proficiency and the responsibilities of a mother and wife. Wanting a better life for her and her family, she understood the importance of learning English to be successful in work, life, and community. She enrolled as an ESOL student at the Adult Learning Center Osceola (ALCO) and her educational journey began.

Yodit had to take many breaks in her journey with her responsibilities as a mother, wife, and income earner. She also had the challenges of adjusting to life in a new cultural setting as well as providing financial support for her parents back in Africa. Through all that, she never wavered in her commitment to better herself.

Yodit’s ten-year journey has resulted in her successfully completing ALCO’s ESOL program and moving on to earn her high school diploma. Yodit is now enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician Program at Osceola Technical College and is now able to support her children with their school work and show them the value of hard work and the importance of an education. She is an example of an adult learner’s challenges, responsibilities and their endurance and tenacity in pursuing their goals.

Ace of florida students of the year

Each year, adult education programs around Florida submit nominations to ACE of Florida for selection as Adult Education Sunshine Success Stories. The Sunshine Success Stories identifies learners who have reached their life goals because of their participation in Florida’s adult education system.

David Maxwell

David Maxwell‘s success story is one of overcoming the unexpected hard times life can throw at a person. David had been a stay-at-home dad for years when his three boys lost their mother and he, his wife. He suddenly had the seemingly overwhelming responsibility of rebuilding a family that had lost everything. Because David had been taking care of the children, he had been out of the workforce for years. David had never completed high school, further complicating his return to the workforce.

Like many adult learners returning to school after an extended time away, David entered the Adult Learning Center Osceola (ALCO) with a great deal of insecurity and fear of the unknown lying ahead. David found, as do all the other students coming to adult education programs around Florida, a caring nurturing faculty whose only goal was David’s success.

David’s determination paid off and in January 2022, he graduated with his high school diploma. With that success achieved, David wanted more. He took and passed the paraprofessional test and became a paraprofessional at Chestnut Elementary School in Osceola County. He is now serving as a Behavioral Specialist at Chestnut.

Ace of Florida staff of the year

Administrator of the year

Fred Barch

The ACE of Florida John E. Lawrence Administrator of the Year Award is given annually to an administrator who not only displays outstanding leadership in the field of adult education, but who has made a lasting impact on the students, schools, and programs they represent. This year’s recipient of the ACE of Florida’s Administrator of the Year Award is Palm Beach County Schools District’s Adult Education Director, Fred Barch.

Fred began his career in education as a high school science teacher. Over his 30 years he served as the district science curriculum manager, principal of an elementary and community high school, school district principal, and in 2017 was appointed as the District Director for Adult Community and Workforce Education. He now supervises 28 community school centers, four technical adult education centers and one virtual academy.

Fred is a skilled collaborator and has put in place strong partnerships that assist many high needs students with tuition, since assuming his current role. Fred has worked with school and district leaders to dramatically improve operational issues as well as improving the climate and culture in all the schools he now supervises, while overseeing the construction and opening of a new technical education center.

Ace of Florida staff of the year

Teacher of the year

Karen Hagerty

Karen Hagerty is quoted as saying, “I love that every week, strangers who will no doubt change my life for the better decide to enroll in classes not knowing what to expect. While I am always aware that what I do changes my students lives, what they don’t know is that I’m far more blessed having met them.”

Karen serves as a lead GED teacher, online teacher, professional development leader and new teacher trainer at East Area Adult School. In her 21st year of teaching, she is responsible for more than 50% of the schools GEDs. In 21/22 she singlehandedly generated 53% of her schools’ diplomas.

As testament to her willingness to do whatever it takes to help her student succeed, during the pandemic, Karen drove packets all around Polk County to her students that did not have computer access to make sure they would not fall behind in their studies.

Karen established a relationship with a local food pantry to provide students with access to food and clothing not only for themselves but for their families as well. Her administrator at East Area Adult School describes her as a “servant leader devoted to the betterment of students of all ages. She is without a doubt an angel in the eyes of those she educates.”