Devon Blackburn, a 2006 Knox County Academy Evening Program graduate, received an “Outstanding Student Award” on Thursday, March 1. Devon received the award at a special luncheon during the annual ICEARY conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield. She was nominated for the award by her teacher, Joel Ward, Director of the KCA Evening Program.
ICEARY, a support and lobbying group working with education professionals who help at-risk youth and with at-risk youth themselves, invites its members every year to nominate one or more students from each of its eight statewide regions. Devon was one of seven students nominated from Region 5, which includes Knox, Peoria, Warren, Tazewell, Sangamon, Mercer and seventeen other counties. She tied for the award with Derek Langenbaum of the Academy at Illinois Central College, East Peoria.
Nominating criteria for the Outstanding Student award is based upon a demonstration of tenacity in overcoming difficult family, home, personal or other obstacles in continuing or completing one’s education. Students must also possess exemplary skills or abilities that help the student succeed and show significant achievement while in the program or as a result of program participation.
Devon overcame multiple personal obstacles which had prevented her from completing her education in a traditional school. In addition, she challenged herself academically while enrolled at the KCA. “What are your hardest classes?” was the first question she asked during her admissions interview, according to her teacher, Mr. Ward. Devon applied herself with great focus to all of her schoolwork and impressed the KCA staff and other students with her artistic as well as her academic talents. Devon won an award for her artwork in a school-wide talent competition.
Since graduation, Devon has been teaching herself web design and learning how to use a number of graphic creation and design programs. In the spring of 2007, she will be taking her Compass placement test for Carl Sandburg College; she will be taking summer classes afterwards and enrolling fulltime in fall of 2007.
Devon is not sure yet what college or university she would like to continue her education at after Sandburg, but she is interested in pursuing a dual career in graphic arts and science, particularly in the field of genetics. The future is very bright for Devon and she is working very hard to keep it bright.
The Knox County Academy Evening Program is an accredited diploma-granting State of Illinois high school that serves at-risk youth in Knox County with a guided, independent study program combining traditional textbook studies, online coursework and a work-study program.
