ACS - Mr. Brent Byars, Federal Programs Supervisor and District Test Coordinator for Alabaster City Schools, has been named an inaugural recipient of the AMTESOL Friend of ESOL Award. The award was presented during a ceremony held in Montgomery earlier this month.
The AMTESOL (Alabama-Mississippi Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Friend of ESOL Award recognizes individuals in Alabama and Mississippi who demonstrate exceptional commitment to advancing the goals of local ESOL programs.
"Receiving the inaugural AMTESOL Friend of ESOL Award is an incredible honor. I am truly humbled by this recognition because I was nominated for it by my colleagues. This award reflects the collective effort of our EL team in Alabaster City Schools (ACS) and our school system's commitment to supporting multilingual learners. It’s a privilege to be part of this work, and the award affirms the importance of fostering equitable opportunities for all students," Byars said.
An Alabaster native/Thompson alumus, Byars has dedicated his career to education and has played a significant role in supporting multilingual students and their families. Byars says ACS takes a holistic approach to supporting multilingual students and their families by providing targeted instructional support to meet students’ language acquisition needs while integrating those strategies into the broader curriculum. Byars also noted the district's EL Teacher PLC quarterly meetings and other professional development resources available to educators.
"ESOL programs are critical for creating pathways to success for multilingual students. These programs go beyond teaching English; they build bridges for students to access the full spectrum of educational opportunities while maintaining pride in their cultural identities," Byars said. "ESOL programs are foundational in education, ensuring that language is not a barrier but a resource for growth. They also play a significant role in fostering empathy and awareness among all students by celebrating linguistic and cultural diversity."
AMTESOL was founded in 1982, and membership is open to everyone interested in and or involved in the teaching and administration programs in English as a second or foreign language. In Mississippi we have members from various intensive English programs and public school systems in places such as Hattiesburg, Starkville, and Oxford. In Alabama our members include ESL professionals from all over the state such as Mobile, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, Birmingham, Gadsden, and numerous places in-between.
Learn more about AMTESOL: https://www.amtesol.org/