Sonoma Valley Adult School

Student Recognition

 2007-2008 

Student name:               Lillian Nichole Furniss

Class/Department:        ASE Diploma/GED Program

Nominating teacher:     James Galindo

Lillian Nichole Furniss is an excellent choice for recognition as Sonoma Valley Adult School’s Student of the Year.  Nichole (her preferred name,) has distinguished herself by her extraordinary commitment, ability and energy to obtaining her diploma.

Studying at our adult school represented her bold plan to regain time lost to the unfortunate circumstances of a high-school year spent in Oregon.  Due to a turnabout she has vigorously expedited, she will be able to graduate concurrently with the classmates she had previously fallen behind from.  

This worthy young woman has uncovered opportunities and exploited them to a remarkable degree.  Among the almost one hundred and fifty students who have enrolled at SVAS this school year, none has equaled Nichole’s powerful academic gain since her arrival in February.  Almost every student at SVAS has to grapple with crippling negativity conditioned into her or his academic pursuits.  Amid the pressing complications of family and work struggles, some adult students graduate successfully, while others have to postpone or give up their dream of a high school diploma.  Even with sincere intent and the pull of recognized necessity, many of our students are weighted down with the baggage of poor study experience and habits, and can make only sluggish advance toward graduation.  Nichole, despite adversity, has surpassed even the most successful students in the thunderous rate of her progress.

            Although her work output was amazingly productive from her start with us in February, she saw the need to further accelerate her academic development as she was almost 50 credits down.  So in March she successfully tested for her GED, and was able to use the allowed points in credit toward her high school diploma.  The momentum she gained, and her unflagging effort, has assured her a successful date with graduation in June.  Nichole plans to attend Santa Rosa Community College in the Fall, and then transfer to a four-year university.

            Because of this fine young woman’s exceptional focus and resourcefulness, and because of her singular extension of potential in our program, I take particular pleasure in nominating Lillian Nichole Furniss as the Sonoma Valley Adult School, Student of the Year.

Sonoma Valley Adult School

Student Recognition

 2007-2008 

Student name:               María del Carmen Sánchez

Class/Department:        English as a Second Language

Nominating teacher:     Heather Zavaleta

          María del Carmen Sánchez was born on January 29, 1979 in the state of Mexico.  She grew up in the town of Melchor Ocampo and completed her education through 9th grade.  After graduation, she started working for a veterinarian.  In the beginning her work included only cleaning and office tasks.  However, over the 14 years that she worked with the doctor, she learned every aspect of being a veterinary technician.  She was not only running the office, but also assisting with surgeries, giving injections, grooming, and generally caring for the animals in such a way that reflected the tremendous skills she had acquired.  In 2006, Mary Carmen left Mexico, and her wonderful job, to join her husband in Sonoma.  She has lived here for a year and a half.

            Mary Carmen is married to Feliciano Mata.  They met when he took his dog in to the veterinarian's office where she worked.  After meeting Mary, Feliciano's dog just kept getting sick, we can only assume to give him a reason to continue going in to the office.  They were married in 1999 and have one son, Carlos.  Carlos is eight years old and attends El Verano Elementary School.  Mary actively participates in Carlos' education and is also involved in her church community.  Mary and Carlos both started learning English when they arrived in Sonoma.  Since then, they continue to support and help one another.

            When Mary Carmen first arrived in Sonoma, she quickly got a job at dry cleaners, pressing clothes.  Her dream though, was to work with animals in some capacity, similar to what she had done in Mexico.  She wanted to continue developing her skills that she had worked to hard to attain.  She knew that learning English was a key part of being able to attain her goal.  Last June, her dream was realized when she was hired by Aberglen as an assistant groomer.  Since Mary started there, she has proven herself to be a valuable and dedicated employee, continuing to improve and learn about caring for dog breeds common to the United States.

            As a student, Mary Carmen is equally dedicated.  Since she started in ESL classes at Sonoma Valley Adult School in November 2006, Mary has quickly progressed from level to level.  She is now in the third level class and continues to take advantage of opportunities to learn more and practice her English.  Her dedication is reflected in her near perfect attendance in class, quite an achievement for anyone who works full-time and has a family.  Mary's husband and son fully support her efforts to study English.  With all that she has accomplished in her short time in this country, Mary Carmen certainly deserves our recognition as the Sonoma Valley Adult School's Student of the Year.  Congratulations, Mary Carmen!

Sonoma Valley Adult School

Student Recognition

2006-2007 

Student name:                 Angela Willson

Class/Department:        ASE Diploma/GED Program

Nominating teacher:     James Galindo

          Angela Willson is an exceptional student in our Adult School Diploma and GED Class at Sonoma Valley Adult School.  In addition to studying in our school, she attends related classes at Santa Rosa Junior College, and works full-time as an event planner at The Lodge in Sonoma.  After completing our program, she will enroll in college classes more directly related to realizing her planned career in public service as a youth counselor.  The superlative quality of her work in preparation for an adult school diploma has given us a model of excellence for other students to emulate.  This gifted young woman deserves recognition for her accomplishments and resilient determination.

           Although Angela has performed extraordinarily and prodigiously with her work for a diploma, she recently shifted to our GED program.  Her difficult decision to do so required a paradigm adjustment in favor of a higher goal.  A good deal of her driving force toward success in our program has been to focus on earning her diploma—a goal dear to her with both real-world clout and emotional symbolism.  Even as a most successful student, her progress toward completing all the required credits would yet take longer than a year in our program, and so delay her career goals.  She realized that passing the GED exam would allow her to advance in college programs and aim more expeditiously towards her desired profession.  The shift to GED primed her to take advantage of a fuller range of our instruction at Sonoma Valley Adult School.

           Angela's studies in diploma subjects, her observations of life experiences, and her own native intelligence have facilitated her passing, with high scores, all of our practice GED tests but math.  Her mathematical development had all but ended before high school.  With remarkable focus, she has undertaken math study and exercises and so mastered the first half of our GED math preparation materials with great success.  She expects to take the official GED exam this spring.  We are confident that she will do well. In the fall, she will be able to begin classes at SRJC directed toward her dream of becoming a youth counselor.

          Angela Willson has demonstrated outstanding ability and versatility in our program. Other students are benefiting now from her excellent example.  As she furthers her goal of becoming a youth counselor, others in the community will prosper.  It is a great pleasure to nominate her as Sonoma Valley Adult School's Diploma/GED Student of the Year.

Sonoma Valley Adult School

Student Recognition

 2006-2007 

Student name:               Rosario Garcia

Class/Department:        English as a Second Language

Nominating teacher:     Heather Zavaleta

          Rosario Garcia was born May 22, 1958 in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.  At the age of four, her parents moved the family to Mexico City where she grew up and completed her education through high school.  After graduation, she worked as a secretary for the army for a period of 12 years; at which point she stopped working in order to spend more time with her three sons.  In 1999, Rosario relocated to Sonoma, and has lived here ever since.
            Rosario is a single mom, with her two older sons living in Mexico.  The oldest, Jorge Armando, 25, recently graduated with a degree in engineering.  Her middle son, Fernando, 21, is currently studying psychology at university.  Rosario's youngest, Emanuel, 12, is a sixth grade student at Altimira Middle School.  She is, indeed, very proud of all of her boys!

            Rosario takes an active role in her youngest son's education, attending any meeting offered by the school aimed at teaching parents to help their children be more successful in school.  Actually, Rosario and her son encourage one another.  It was Emanuel's idea for her to begin learning English at the Adult School.

            When Rosario first came to Sonoma she worked as a housekeeper in a hotel, and then later got at job on a production line in a winery labeling wine bottles.  Presently, Rosario works at The Lodge in Sonoma with housekeeping in the laundry room.  Last April, she quit a second job cleaning houses in order to start her English studies.  She came to the Sonoma Valley Adult School at that time, has been a diligent student, and recently was promoted from the level 1 to level 2.  Rosario says that learning more English helps her in her job and allows her to participate more in the education of her youngest son.

            Rosario Garcia is exactly the kind of student any teacher would love to have in class.  She is enthusiastic, helpful, and kind-hearted, lending a hand to other students who are having a hard time.  Her upbeat attitude brings a wonderful energy to every class.  She happily encourages the active participation of the other students in all of our activities and events.  In fact, Rosario took it upon herself to organize the students' pot-luck celebration in December.  Always with a smile on her face, Rosario is an inspiration to those of us fortunate enough to know her.