Local English Teacher to Receive State Award

As a teacher, Moonyeen Powers says there’s nothing more satisfying than giving students the tools to succeed. As someone who teaches English to adult immigrants, it’s often a job where results can’t be measured by test scores.

“Nice is so inadequate a word,” she said from her Northridge home. “I still communicate with students I had years ago.”

For the last 12 years, Powers has taught English and citizenship part-time at Kennedy-San Fernando Community Adult School in Granada Hills.

On Saturday, she will receive a statewide honor recognizing her talents as an educator, one of 11 awards bestowed by the California Council for Adult Education.

The 1996 Excellence in Teaching Awards will be presented during the organization’s annual conference in Long Beach, said Janice Cody, chairwoman of the awards committee.

She added that the awards are voted on by members of CCAE chapters throughout the state so that they are truly the recognition of a person’s peers.

“She is a self-starter known for her resourcefulness and flexibility,” read the letter nominating Powers for the award. “She is able to develop creative, imaginative lessons from limited resources.”

“It feels good,” Powers said of the honor, “but reality hasn’t set in yet.” She added that she’s planning to display the plaque in her office.

She doesn’t know if the honorees will be asked to speak but Powers said she’s already preparing her remarks.

“I’m going to whether they want me to or not,” she joked. “I have too many people to thank.”