Regional symposia focus primarily on adult literacy, and provide free professional development for volunteers and staff of nonprofit, community-based adult and family literacy programs.
Your local symposium is an excellent place to network with other literacy providers in your region, and a great source of professional development for volunteer and other instructors, as well as administrative staff.
Thank you so much for your interest!
This event is now over.
QUICK LINKS FOR THE PANHANDLE SYMPOSIUM:
Click on any of the links below to go straight to that section, or simply scroll down the page.
BASIC DETAILS
The 2026 Panhandle Literacy Symposium will be a half-day symposium, and will be held on:
Friday, March 6, 2026, from 8:15 AM to 12:00 PM (CT)
Check-in for pre-registered participants will open at 8:15 AM, with the full program beginning at 8:45 AM.
This symposium is offered free of charge to Texas nonprofit professionals who work in the fields of adult and family literacy. See Symposium FAQs for more information.
SYMPOSIUM FAQs
Click on a question to see the answer.
Q: Hang on - "symposium"? Don't you mean "conference"?
A: Literacy Texas does have an annual conference! It’s held every summer.
Our regional symposia are a different type of event to the conference.
Each symposium:
- Takes place in a different Texas region to help minimize travel
- Has a local focus
- Is free to attend
- Generally takes place on one day (some symposia are 2 days)
- Includes workshops for both classroom instructors and program administrators
- Is the primary training Literacy Texas offers for literacy volunteers
- Offers 2.5 – 5 hours of professional development, sometimes more
Q: Who should attend this symposium?
A: Anyone interested in adult and family literacy in Texas is welcome at the symposium. The people who will gain the most are instructors at community-based adult literacy organizations and nonprofits.
Volunteer tutors and teachers are especially welcome!
When we create the symposium program, we use the broadest definition of “literacy”, to include all of Adult Foundational Education: adult basic education, English as an additional language, high school equivalency, digital literacy, and workforce readiness, along with other kinds of teaching and learning.
Q: I don't live in this region. Can I still attend?
A: YES! Anyone who lives in Texas is welcome at any Literacy Texas symposium.
Q: Why should I attend?
Two words: LOCAL + FREE!
Each symposium program includes both key topics of universal interest to adult literacy programs, and a focus on the local needs of the region. When you complete our Annual Survey every year, we use the results to invite speakers and presenters on topics you said you particularly wanted and needed.
Furthermore, registration is free. You won’t need a large budget for travel or an overnight stay, in the vast majority of cases. We hope that many folks from the same organization can come to the symposium – there’s no limit on how many people can attend from one place. It’s a lot harder to send lots of people to conferences, since we know costs stack up pretty quickly.
Q: How much does registration cost?
A: The symposium is free to attend. Thanks to a generous grant from the Texas Workforce Commission, Literacy Texas can cover the costs of your tuition, any meals and snacks offered, materials, and other resources.
Please be aware that in recent years, between 15% and 30% of registrants are no-shows at our training events. Every one of these costs us money (since we’ve already paid for food, materials, and more).
If you’ve registered for a Literacy Texas event but then find you can no longer attend, PLEASE get in touch to cancel your registration.
Q: Do you offer PD credit?
A: Yes! Literacy Texas offers PD credit in conjunction with TCALL.
Certificates of completion will be awarded after the event. Complete the survey after the training is finished to give your details and get your certificate. Surveys will be sent via email in the days following the training.
Please pay attention to the due dates communicated at your symposium – after each event is wrapped up, we will not be able to go back and re-issue your PD certificate. If you know you’ll need a certificate at a later date, please take care to request it in a timely manner!
LOCATION
This symposium will be held at the Amarillo Area Foundation, S. Polk St, Amarillo, Texas 79101.
IMPORTANT:
Do not enter from the S. Polk St. side of the building, and DO NOT ring the building’s buzzer. Instead, enter from the parking side – parking is marked in red on the map below, and the building entrance with a green arrow.
There will be someone waiting to let you in, but if you arrive late, please use this code to open the door:
0306#
Once inside the building, turn LEFT – the symposium will be in the southern part of the building, outlined in yellow on the map below.
FREE ONLINE REGISTRATION
This session has reached capacity and we are forming a waitlist.
Use the registration button below to add your name to the list.
Online registration has now closed – but we have a few spots available for last-minute registrants!
Call us at 972-926-3155 to make arrangements.
PD CERTIFICATES
Attendees can receive up to 2.5 hours of PD credit at this symposium.
You must use the Literacy Texas app to track your session attendance if you want to receive PD credit. Information about how to access and use the app will be sent to registrants ahead of the symposium,
Certificates of completion will be awarded after the event. Complete the survey after the training is finished to request your certificate. Surveys will be sent via email after the training, and certificates will be prepared and sent after the survey closes.
Please pay attention to the due dates communicated at your symposium – after each event is wrapped up, we will not be able to go back and re-issue your PD certificate. If you know you’ll need a certificate at a later date, please take care to request it in a timely manner!
SCHEDULE OUTLINE
8:15 AM – 8:45 AM | Check-in for registered attendees (30 min)
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM | Welcome, opening remarks (15 min)
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Opening address (30 min)
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM | Networking activity (30 min)
10:15 AM – 11:45 AM | Workshop (90 min)
11:45 AM – 12:00 PM | Farewell, door prizes
PROGRAM, SESSIONS, & SPEAKERS
Schedule will be kept as current as possible but is subject to change; check back here for updates
8:15 AM – 8:45 AM: CHECK-IN FOR PRE-REGISTERED ATTENDEES
Location: Pending
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM: WELCOME, OPENING REMARKS
Location: Pending
Jacqueline Aguilera
Community Liaison & Program Host, Literacy Texas
Jacqueline “Jackie” Aguilera has logged 38 years of diverse experience across educational and non-profit sectors. With a focus on adult literacy, she has left an indelible mark on various initiatives and projects in the multi-layered field of adult literacy.
As an experienced adult education innovations designer, she earned a 2021 Ford Foundation Mujeres Legendarias Award for creative ed tech applications in adult education. Her service impact also extends beyond the classroom into the workforce. She empowers both employers and employees through worksite literacy training and independent consulting. She leads a local fellowship of adult education providers called the Houston Area Adult Literacy Collective (the incredible HAALC), serves on many committees, boards, and projects impacting adult learners and families, and most recently served as Project Manager for Houston’s Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy.
In summary, Jacqueline’s multifaceted career reflects a lifelong dedication to advancing literacy and education across diverse communities and platforms. Currently on a journey through breast cancer treatment, she is more than ever committed to advancing the lives of all those she serves, making her a messenger of inspiration, innovation, and evolution.
Name
Title, Org + link
Bio pending.
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Opening Address (30 min)
“Emma to the Rescue: How Amarillo Uses AI to Support Information Literacy”
The City of Amarillo is doing innovative things with AI and digital literacy, to walk alongside every resident and make sure they can communicate with city officials. Hear some of the latest from Rich Gagnon, Assistant City Manager and CTO.
Location: Pending
Rich Gagnon
Assistant City Manager and CTO, City of Amarillo
Rich Gagnon is a highly experienced technologist and executive leader. Prior to filling his role as Assistant City Manager and CIO at the city of Amarillo, Rich led the worldwide engineering team responsible for billions in annual revenue as the Global Vice-President of Systems Engineering for F5 Networks. He also led as the Theater Vice-President of the Americas for Palo Alto Networks and the Director of Global Infrastructure for GameStop.
After more than thirty years of advancing from an entry level technician to executive leadership, he moved back to Amarillo with a strong desire to serve the community he calls home. Rich now applies his experience and proven track record of bringing transformative technical and business initiatives to market in the private sector to his work for the residents of Amarillo.
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Networking Activity (30 min)
“Real People. Real Needs. Real Opportunities.”
Real people, real needs, and real opportunities to build together. Come ready to listen, share, and remix in this dynamic 30-minute session —a fast-paced, high-impact networking experience designed to spark meaningful connections, uncover shared challenges, and ignite collaborative solutions across the Panhandle literacy landscape.
Location: Pending
Jacqueline Aguilera
Community Liaison & Program Host, Literacy Texas
Jacqueline “Jackie” Aguilera has logged 38 years of diverse experience across educational and non-profit sectors. With a focus on adult literacy, she has left an indelible mark on various initiatives and projects in the multi-layered field of adult literacy.
As an experienced adult education innovations designer, she earned a 2021 Ford Foundation Mujeres Legendarias Award for creative ed tech applications in adult education. Her service impact also extends beyond the classroom into the workforce. She empowers both employers and employees through worksite literacy training and independent consulting. She leads a local fellowship of adult education providers called the Houston Area Adult Literacy Collective (the incredible HAALC), serves on many committees, boards, and projects impacting adult learners and families, and most recently served as Project Manager for Houston’s Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy.
In summary, Jacqueline’s multifaceted career reflects a lifelong dedication to advancing literacy and education across diverse communities and platforms. Currently on a journey through breast cancer treatment, she is more than ever committed to advancing the lives of all those she serves, making her a messenger of inspiration, innovation, and evolution.
10:15 AM – 11:45 AM
Workshop (90 min)
Building Belonging: How Cultural Understanding Transforms ESL Programs
Language learning is not merely an academic process; it is deeply shaped by culture and is inherently emotional, relational, and communal.
In this session, participants will take a deeper look at cultural behaviors that may seem confusing and explore the underlying values hidden behind them. This deeper understanding equips educators to approach English language learners with honor and curiosity rather than suspicion.
We will then demonstrate how this empathetic approach informs decisions about program structure and curriculum design, ultimately fostering not just a learning community, but a true community of belonging and flourishing.
Location: Pending
Primary Topic Area
Session will also cover:
Audience
Level
Texas AEL PD Category
Assigned by TCALL
Other info:
No other info available at this time.
Betty Reyes-Medina
Director of Language Services, Refugee Language Project
Betty Reyes-Medina serves as the Director of Language Services at the Refugee Language Project (RLP) in Amarillo, Texas. Initially joining RLP as a volunteer, she was officially hired in 2022 to lead the Interpreting Services program and oversee the Storybook Project and ESL initiatives. In her efforts to effectively serve the language needs of the refugee population in Amarillo, Betty developed an in-house curriculum tailored to Literacy, Beginner, and Intermediate students. This curriculum has been successfully implemented and continues to yield positive results in the classroom. Betty and her team are passionate about fostering a relational approach to teaching English, emphasizing community and connection.
Betty’s English education journey began in Chile while serving in the United Nations program English Opens Doors. There, she fell in love with teaching and helping others get better access to opportunities through language education. Her deep commitment to service and education inspired her to establish Mochilas para la Esperanza in 2012, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting underserved communities in the Caribbean and Central America. After finishing her M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language, Betty was hired as a professor at the University of Puerto Rico and other private institutions, where she taught courses in Basic and Intermediate English, Conversational English, Literature, and Research Writing.
Ryan Pennington, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Refugee Language Project
Dr. Ryan Pennington is the founder and Executive Director of Refugee Language Project (RLP), a local nonprofit organization that welcomes displaced people by overcoming language barriers and honoring cultural diversity. As an applied linguist, Ryan focuses his research on the languages and cultures of this region’s immigrant communities.
Previously, Dr. Pennington spent 9 years working as a field linguist for Wycliffe Bible Translators in the nation of Papua New Guinea. While there, he analyzed a previously unwritten language, developing its first alphabet and producing a comprehensive reference grammar. Ryan holds a Ph.D. in linguistics from James Cook University in Cairns, Australia. He and his wife, Crystal, have three children and reside in Amarillo.
11:45 AM – 12:00 PM: FAREWELL & DOOR PRIZES
Location: Pending
DOWNLOADS
Download or print a flyer to display at your location or send to others who may be interested in attending the symposium.
Download or print a copy of the symposium program.
SPECIAL THANKS TO -
[name of any sponsors or other partners – as many as relevant, new line for each]
The regional symposia are funded by the Professional Development Support for Nonprofit Adult Literacy Organizations grant from the Texas Workforce Commission.
STAY IN THE KNOW -
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Checked/updated: 3/9/2026
