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 SOUTH TEXAS SYMPOSIUM:
Click on any of the links below to go straight to that section, or simply scroll down the page.
BASIC DETAILS
The 2025 South Texas Literacy Symposium will be a half-day symposium, and will be held on:
Friday, November 14, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 1:15 PM (CT).
Check-in for pre-registered participants will open at 9:30 AM, with the full program beginning at 10:00 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 in the Meeting Center, McAllen Public Library: 4001 N 23rd St, McAllen, TX 78504.
Area in use during the symposium is highlighted in yellow.
Use the main entrance from Fountain Circle/Mall.
LUNCH MENU DETAILS
Over the Moon: Croissant sandwich with chicken salad and spinach
All Heart, No Meat: Vegan buns, black-bean patty, spinach, vegan cheese, avocado
Select your lunch during the online registration process.
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.
Registration for this session has now closed
REMINDER: CHECK YOUR SPAM
Every online registration will generate an automated email response with further information. If you don’t see it arrive, please check your junk mail!
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.
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 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!
PROGRAM, SESSIONS, & SPEAKERS
Schedule will be kept as current as possible but is subject to change; check back here for updates
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: CHECK-IN FOR PRE-REGISTERED ATTENDEES
Location: Pending
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM: WELCOME, OPENING REMARKS
Location: Auditorium
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 – 10:45 AM
Opening Session (30 min)
Title of Session
Session description pending.
Location: Auditorium
Rose Benavidez
President, Starr County Industrial Foundation
A native of Starr County, Rose has served as the first female President of the Starr County Industrial Foundation (SCIF) since 2004 where she has dedicated her professional career to developing the local economy, while improving access to education and creating job opportunities. During her tenure the organization she leads has reinvigorated the community’s economic outlook with over $4.0 billion of private investment and the creation of over 6,500 permanent and temporary jobs. In 2009 she was elected to represent Starr County on the South Texas College (STC) Board of Trustees and by 2012 was named the youngest Board Chair in the college’s history. In 2022 she was elected the first Latina woman to serve as Chair of the National Association of Community College Trustees, since its formation over 50 years ago.
Rose is committed to improving the economic standing and quality of life of her region and continues to find innovative ways to strengthen her constituent’s voice on issues affecting her community. She is often a featured speaker and presenter at events that address issues that include economic and community development, higher education, civic-engagement, leadership, women empowerment and advocacy. She has found a way to lead by example through her selfless volunteerism and service to countless local, regional, state and national non-profits, civic organizations and charities. For her efforts and contributions, she has received a variety of awards and recognitions throughout her career.
Rose received her BA in Political Science and her Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Texas Pan American and has attained her Basic Economic Development Certification from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
10:45 AM – 11:15 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 South Texas literacy landscape.
Location: Auditorium
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.
11:15 AM – 11:30 AM: BREAK, COLLECT LUNCH
Location: Meeting Room B
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Lunch & Learn Breakout (90 min)
Meeting Room A
Retention vs Persistence (45 min)
What keeps adult learners coming back to our classes? How can we be inspired by our local peers to make creative changes and improvements? And what does Literacy Texas offer that could be of assistance?
In this dynamic and focused session on adult learner persistence, you’ll work in small groups to discuss, define, refine, and make plans for dynamic solutions you can implement immediately.
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.
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.
Rooted in Resilience: Building Literacy through Optimism and Emotional Regulations (45 min)
According to the American Psychological Association “Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress, such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or workplace and financial stressors. It means ‘bouncing back’ from difficult experiences. Research has shown that resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary. People commonly demonstrate resilience.”
Research demonstrates that cultivating positive emotions builds our resilience and resilient college students persist and are successful in college and beyond (Wilson, 2016; Seligman, 2012; Seligman et al., 2009). Research also shows that resilience practices, such as character strengths, emotional regulation, and self-efficacy can help enhance literacy development, such as writing skills and reading strategies.
In this session, we will explore how we can foster literacy resilience in our teaching and learning practices through growth mindset and asset-based thinking approaches. Specifically, we will explore strategies for creating opportunities where we prioritize positive emotions, build character strengths, practice gratitude, hunt the good stuff, and put things in perspective. Join us for a conversation rooted on resilience!
Primary Topic Area
Session will also cover:
Audience
Level
Texas AEL PD Category
Assigned by TCALL
Other info:
Please be ready to participate in resilience strategies!
Alyssa G. Cavazos
Director for the Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Alyssa G. Cavazos is Professor of Rhetoric, Composition, and Literacy Studies in the Department of Writing and Language Studies and Director for the Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She teaches undergraduate and graduate coursework in writing studies. Her pedagogical and scholarly interests include: language difference in the teaching of writing, translingual writing across communities, professional development in higher education, and student voices in teaching and learning.
She was awarded the University of Texas System 2017 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, the 2017 UTRGV Excellence Award in Teaching, and the 2022 Center for Online Learning and Teaching Technology Online Teaching Award. She also serves as an active member of the University of Texas System Academy of Distinguished Teachers.
She is committed to designing learner-centered educational spaces that support students’ academic success across academic disciplines in higher education and beyond.
Meeting Room B
Nature’s Classroom: Embracing Curiosity & Learning from the World Around Us (90 min)
Nurturing civic responsibility and igniting family literacy are essential steps in creating a lifelong love for learning.
Learning Outcomes and Objectives:
- Explore how nature and community can enhance literacy development.
- Advocate for the importance of reading and civic responsibility.
- Highlight the role of families in nurturing literacy.
- Provide practical strategies for fostering a love of learning through family engagement and outdoor exploration.
Participants will leave with:
- Practical strategies for fostering family literacy and advocacy in their communities.
- Tools for integrating outdoor learning experiences that encourage curiosity and literacy development.
- Resources to help parents and families create an enriching reading environment at home.
- Methods to incorporate civic engagement through literature and reading.
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.
Karla Rodriguez
Curriculum Coordinator, CONTENTBYK
Karla Rodriguez attended the University of Texas Pan American, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Wanting to make a difference in the field of education and in the community, Karla continued her studies and obtained a Master’s in Business Administration from UTRGV as well as completed her Principalship Certification.
Throughout her 12 years of service in education, Karla has held various leadership roles that
showcase her commitment to student and community success. Karla has served as a Teacher, Instructional Coach, and Assistant Principal. She currently serves as a District Reading Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator.
Her impact in education has been recognized at the District level by receiving the leadership “Building Capacity Award”, highlighting her ability to empower and develop the potential of those around her.
In addition to her professional and community involvement, Karla is a content creator. Through her online platform, CONTENTBYK, she shares insights, experiences, and captivating visuals that provide readers with valuable takeaways. Her content not only reflects her passion for education but also serves as an inspiration to others, encouraging them to explore the world of learning and personal growth.
1:00 PM – 1:15 PM: FAREWELL & DOOR PRIZES
Location: Auditorium
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 -
McAllen Public Library
The regional symposia are funded by the Professional Development Support for Nonprofit Adult Literacy Organizations grant from the Texas Workforce Commission.
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Checked/updated: 11/18/25
