West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) has named Doris Cardenas of Temple as its 2024 Adult Education Outstanding Teacher of the Year (OTOY). Cardenas will represent West Georgia Technical College at the Dinah Culbreath Wayne Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) Leadership Institute March 25-27, 2024.

The Adult Education OTOY program is designed to recognize and honor our most outstanding Adult Education teachers who make significant contributions to the field through instruction, innovation, and leadership. These outstanding teachers participate in school and community activities, they understand the importance of and are committed to the Adult Education profession, and they exemplify excellence. The OTOY has a deep commitment to the mission of the Office of Adult Education (OAE).

“I am honored to be chosen as the Adult Education Outstanding Teacher of the Year,” Cardenas said. “My passion for lifelong learning, desire to impact lives, belief in education’s transformative power, and love for diverse interactions led me to become an adult education teacher. Empowering adult learners to gain new skills, knowledge, or qualifications that directly contribute to their personal or professional growth is one of my greatest accomplishments in education.”

Cardenas teaches English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at WGTC, where she has established various programs to excel students academically including an adult literacy reading program, a workplace literacy initiative, and a reading club. Cardenas also created a bridge program to connect high-level ESL students with GED instructors as they prepare to transition to general education.

“Doris goes above and beyond to not just teach her students, but to also show them how to take what they learn and apply it in the real world,” Rebecca Wheeler, Dean of Adult Education said. “We are proud to have her represent our college and our program.”

WGTC offers free adult education/high school equivalency and ESL classes in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, Heard, Meriwether, and Troup counties. For more information, contact the adult education department at WGTCAdultEd@westgatech.edu or 770.838.3192.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, and Troup counties and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is one of the largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit www.westgatech.edu.