OTAN invites nominations of California adult education learners who are successful as a result of the education received at adult education agencies for the California Adult Education Students Succeed program. The program honors outstanding students who are adults with significant life responsibilities, who have made positive contributions to the community, established and met life goals by attending an adult education program, improved the life situations of self and others, and overcome difficult circumstances in order to pursue adult learning experiences. The program recognizes the hard work that outstanding adult education students have completed in the pursuit of their personal, academic, and professional goals and aspirations.
You can read stories and watch videos from previous years by clicking on the Students tab. You can also explore stories from specific adult education agencies and programs by clicking on the Schools and Programs tabs. To learn how to nominate a student for the program and to submit an online nomination form, click on the Nomination tab.
Students Succeed Honoree: Khulood Alfareh
Khulood began at Visalia Adult School in 2016 as an ESL student. Having come from Yemen with her family she was new to the area and was not fluent in English at the time. By 2020 she had moved through all levels of ESL and had moved into Adult Basic Education. Given how intelligent and quick learning Khulood is, she was offered the GED track upon her completion of ABE, however, she chose instead to do the High School Diploma. She needed all of the 175 credits required by Visalia Adult School to get her diploma, but she chose that program because she wanted to learn as much English as possible in varied fields and aspects. She began her HSD journey in 2020, however, the Covid shutdowns in CA soon ensued. During the pandemic she was caring for her infant son and helping with her family, but continuing to work on her credits. Once things started to reopen though, she decided she wanted to complete her diploma and aid her family by finishing her diploma. In 2022 her studies took off and she began to dedicate all of her free time, what little there was, to her classes. She had a second baby in 2023 and even though she had complications following her son's birth she used the time she was ordered to stay in bed to hit her studies. By Spring and Fall of 2023 Khulood was putting in between 30 and SEVENTY hours a week online in Edgenuity. She worked while her kids slept, while her husband slept, while he was at work. She forwent sleep herself on many a night as she pressed forward to meet her goal which she did on February 9th, 2024 which took her last test required to complete her last credit toward her high school diploma. Along the way Khulood has been an inspiration to other students in ESL and HSD as well as her teachers and her community at large. She was nominated and won the Visalia Adult School Student Spotlight as well as the Visalia School District Student of the month for December. She will be nominated for the Visalia Adult School High School Diploma Student of the Year in May and we here at the school wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. Khulood managed to use technology and distance learning in such a way as to push herself harder than she had before and she truly is a student who shines a light on every around her.