The Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education (MCAE) is delighted to announce that Sulmi Nova Garcia from the Chelsea Intergenerational Literacy Program, is one of the two recipients of the 2023 Ruth E. Derfler Memorial Scholarship.
Sulmi is being recognized for her high level of academic achievement, intellectual curiosity, leadership and passion for serving others both in her home community of Chelsea and in her class.
Sulmi’s teachers described her as “an extraordinary young adult who has shown determination and dedication to learning and supporting her family.” She attended Chelsea High School for 18 months after she arrived in the United States from Guatemala, but then dropped out of high school. She said, “I made the decision to quit school at that time. Now I know that maybe I made a bad decision, but it is never too late to start again.”
Sulmi went back to school at the International Literacy Program, earned her GED high school equivalency diploma and is currently completing an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education at Bunker Hill Community College where she recently made the Dean’s List. Sulmi decided to go to college “to demonstrate to myself that I can do it, also I want to be a role model to my children, so they can see how important higher education is.”
Wanting to share what she’s learned with other adults, Sulmi applied for and was hired to work for Chelsea Public Schools as an ESOL tutor. She became a tutor because, as she said, “I love to help people, I like to inspire parents, especially those who think education is over for them.”
Ruth E. Derfler was the Past President of MCAE, the former Director of High School Equivalency at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and an advocate for countless adult education students and staff for more than forty years before she passed away in 2017. The Ruth E. Deffler Memorial Scholarship Award is given annually to a deserving adult student who is going on to higher education or a job training program.
NETWORK 2023 is made possible through the generosity of the following major sponsors: Corporate -World Education; Gold – LiteracyPro Systems; Silver – MediaNewsGroup; Bronze – BurlingtonEnglish, CapeAir, EnGen, and Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges.
NETWORK, the largest annual gathering of adult educators in the state, is attended by more than 500 participants; features over 50 cutting-edge workshop sessions that reflect the latest thought leadership, science, and best practices in adult learning; and offers exhibitors showcasing state-of-the-art instructional materials and services.
For over 30 years, MCAE has been the dedicated “Voice of Adult Education in Massachusetts,” championing the right of all adults to acquire 21st century literacy, English language, and numeracy skills in order to build economic prosperity, support their families, and create vibrant communities. Nearly 20,000 adults learn to read, write, speak English, study for the citizenship test, complete high school credentials and transition to college and careers through adult education programs in the state. MCAE supports this work through effective advocacy and the NETWORK Conference.