IACEA
AWARDS

Honoring Excellence in Adult Education

IACEA, the voice of adult education in Illinois, honors the educators, administrators, and support professionals who give their skill, time, and heart to adult learners across the state.

We also celebrate the determination and resilience of our adult learners themselves. Each year, one of the highlights of our annual conference is the Awards Luncheon, where we recognize individuals selected through our nominations process for their outstanding impact. Honorees include an administrator, an instructor, a support services professional, and an adult learner.

If you work alongside someone who shows up every day, does what’s required, and then goes further still, or if you know a learner whose achievements rise beyond expectation, we invite you to place their name before the Awards Committee for consideration.

Quiet dedication deserves a spotlight. This is how we shine it.

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Teacher of the Year Award


The Teacher of the Year Award honors a teacher who exemplifies excellence in adult education by:

  • Demonstrating a strong commitment to the adult and continuing education profession
  • Understanding and responding to the physical, psychological, social, and cognitive needs of adult learners
  • Respecting and embracing each learner’s cultural and ethnic identity
  • Creating a supportive, non-threatening learning environment that encourages open thought and expression
  • Guiding learners in setting personal learning goals and evaluating their progress
  • Communicating clearly and effectively with learners, colleagues, and supervisors
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The Paul Simon Adult Learner of the Year award


The Paul Simon Adult Learner of the Year Award honors an adult learner whose determination, growth, and leadership reflect the power of education by:

  • Improving their own life circumstances or those of others through meaningful learning experiences
  • Demonstrating leadership in formal or nontraditional learning environments
  • Balancing family, civic, or employment responsibilities while actively pursuing educational goals
  • Overcoming significant challenges in order to continue their adult learning journey
  • Supporting and encouraging others engaged in adult education
  • Earning recognition or honors for educational achievement from educational institutions, community organizations, or civic groups
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Support Staff of the Year Award


The Support Staff of the Year Award honors a support staff member who strengthens adult education through service, professionalism, and care by:

  • Demonstrating a strong commitment to the adult and continuing education profession
  • Consistently going above and beyond assigned duties
  • Respecting and embracing each learner’s cultural and ethnic identity
  • Providing a supportive, non-threatening environment for learners
  • Communicating clearly and effectively with students, colleagues, and supervisors
  • Building and maintaining connections with appropriate community resources
  • Showing flexibility and innovation in meeting program and learner needs
  • Expressing and demonstrating a commitment to lifelong learning
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Administrator of the Year Award


This annual award honors an administrator who exemplifies leadership and vision in adult education by:

  • Demonstrating a strong and sustained commitment to the adult education profession
  • Making a meaningful contribution to advancing lifelong learning as an ongoing process
  • Creating measurable impact in adult education at the community, state, and or national level