In the fall of 1995, California's State Collaborative Literacy Council through its State Literacy Resource Center decided to create an annual recognition for literacy programs and literacy learners in California. The idea was to recognize the exemplary adult and family literacy programs and the accomplishments of adult learners who had achieved outstanding success or overcome unusual barriers.

The Outstanding Adult Learner Awards were based on the following criteria:

• attendance in program and consistency of effort over time
  
• set and reached personal goals
  
• overcame difficult or unusual barriers
  
• helped or supported other literacy students in their efforts
  
• served as a literacy advocate within his/her community
  
• learner's own words as to why they sought literacy

Nominations for the Outstanding Adult Learner Awards were solicited statewide and over 150 were received. Nominations were made by program staff and a nonpartisan panel evaluated the nominations and selected the winners. The awards were then presented as part of the California Adult Learner Conference on March 9, 1996. This day was also proclaimed Adult Learner Day in California by Governor Pete Wilson (see Appendix C).

Two monetary awards of $100 each were given in three categories (ABE, ESL and Family Literacy) for First and Second Places. These monetary awards were to be used by the nomi-nating literacy program for selected literacy activities. Plaques were given to the learners for First, Second and Third Place in each of the three categories. In two categories, be