2022 Student Hall of Fame

The 2022 Literacy Texas Annual Awards celebrated some amazing adult students who went above and beyond in their learning.

2022 Student Achievement - ABE/HSE

Chau Hua | Neuhaus Education Center

Chau’s story is one of a child growing up in a multi-generational family, all living together in a small house or apartment. She went through some rough times in her life during her adolescence, but found a career as a hairdresser as a young adult.

Although she has been a small business owner, having her own salon for quite a few years, she still yearned for the knowledge she felt she had missed in school during her youth. Chau started taking literacy courses at Neuhaus Education Center a few years ago, and during that time, she was also reading different books of interest at home to increase her vocabulary and comprehension skills.

After making the decision to start taking courses at the college level, Chau was determined to choose the college or university that would meet her needs. She took the time to visit different campuses, meeting with different people to discuss her plans and ask questions. After choosing the University of Houston-Downtown, Chau chose to take a course in writing, knowing that it was an area of weakness that she wanted to improve. Chau’s drive to learn is evident in her attendance and participation in class. She has become a life-long learner who recently completed a course in writing at University of Houston-Downtown.

2022 Student Achievement - ESOL

Ilknur Dundar | Literacy Lubbock

Ilknur Dundar came to the United States from Turkey with the dream of becoming a Nurse Practitioner or a Physician Assistant. She has the correct university degree in Turkey, but her credentials are not accepted in the United States, so she must enroll in a program in the United States.

She would like to apply to Texas Tech University to begin her training. To become a Nurse Practitioner, one must be a registered nurse, hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, complete a graduate master’s or doctoral nursing program, and pass a national board certification exam. And to enroll at Texas Tech, Ilknur must pass her English Proficiency Test.

Even though she had studied English previously, she needed to practice speaking English which led her to Literacy Lubbock’s ESL Program. As her English improved, she still remembers what it was like to learn English. She didn’t always come up with what she wanted and worried she would say the wrong words. But she hasn’t given up and realizes the best way to improve her speaking English is to practice and never to be afraid of mistakes.

Ilknur is more confident in herself now because she studies every week. With her improved English writing and speaking skills, Ilknur is closer to her goal of understanding everything and speaking to everyone, and of being a nurse practitioner in the United States.

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Page updated 1/16/25

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