CAPE GIRARDEAU ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM GETS NATIONAL AWARD

The Cape Girardeau Adult Basic Education program has been selected to receive one of 10 U.S. Department of Education awards for superior programming.

Earlier this month, Secretary of Education Richard Riley informed program coordinator Nancy Branson her ABE program had been selected to receive the Secretary's Award for Outstanding Adult Education and Literacy Programs. A ceremony will be held Feb. 15 for presentation of the award.

"I'm very pleased," said Branson Monday. She said she had not expected to win because of the national competition.

The Secretary's award is presented to programs that excel in providing effective adult education services. Program nominees are judged based on the program's design, instruction, learning environment, achievement of learner goals, standards, evaluation and professional development.

Branson said the selection process is vigorous. It begins when each state is invited to submit two nominations for the award. There are some 50 adult education programs in Missouri.

State nominees are then narrowed down to 16 national finalists, four each from four geographical regions of the nation.

Program specialists then visit each program nominated and record detailed observations of activities. Finally, a panel of national experts from the field of adult education and literacy selects the programs to receive the awards.