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CEHD Alumna Lara Kolb Named South Carolina Adult Education Director of the Year
August 3, 2026
By Kiersten Caputy
For Lara Kolb, MEd ’13, educational leadership has never been about titles or accolades. It has always been about people. That commitment recently earned Kolb one of South Carolina’s highest professional honors when she was named Adult Education Director of the Year by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA).
Yet even as she reflects on the recognition, her focus remains firmly on the students, educators, and community partners who have shaped her journey. “Receiving the South Carolina Association of School Administrators Adult Education Director of the Year award is both humbling and deeply meaningful to me,” Kolb said. “Personally, it represents the culmination of years of service dedicated to helping adult learners overcome obstacles, achieve their educational goals, and create better opportunities for themselves and their families.”
For Kolb, adult education is far more than a profession. “Adult education is a calling rooted in believing in second chances and the transformative power of education,” she said. “To be recognized for work that I care so deeply about is incredibly rewarding.”
As Director of Adult Education in Clarendon County, South Carolina, Kolb has helped build programs and partnerships that connect students not only with educational opportunities, but also with pathways to meaningful careers and economic mobility. “Professionally, this award reflects the collective efforts of the outstanding teachers, staff, community partners, and students I have had the privilege to work alongside throughout my career,” she said. “It validates the importance of adult education and workforce development in strengthening our communities.”
Under her leadership, the program has developed strong partnerships with organizations including Vocational Rehabilitation, SC Works, and workforce development agencies to create opportunities that extend beyond the classroom.
Kolb’s passion for serving adult learners began long before she assumed a leadership role. Before moving to South Carolina, she worked as an alternative school principal in Virginia and taught adult education courses in Prince William County, including English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and GED preparation courses. “My favorite groups of students have always been ‘on the fringe,’ meaning they’re a little different for some reason,” Kolb said. “I began teaching adult students 18 years ago with nighttime ESL classes and daily GED Corrections classes. I loved the students and their reasons for being in adult education immediately.”
She quickly discovered a community unlike any other in education. “Adult Education is a special place, no matter where it is, with special people teaching it and leading it,” she said. “It’s always been called the best-kept secret in education. I hope to make it a little less hidden.”
Kolb’s own leadership journey was influenced by mentors who recognized her potential and encouraged her to pursue new opportunities. While teaching English at Southeastern Alternative School in Fauquier County, she worked under principal Michelle Neibauer, who helped her see a future in educational leadership. “She encouraged me not only as a teacher, but also as a potential school leader,” Kolb said. “She trusted me to take on leadership roles and helped me grow as a teacher-leader.”
When Fauquier County Public Schools announced a leadership cohort in partnership with George Mason University, Kolb immediately knew she wanted to be part of it. “My cohort was made up of teachers from Fauquier, Stafford, Culpeper, and Spotsylvania counties,” she recalled. “I am still friends with some of them to this day. We have exchanged ideas and resources in order to make our classrooms and schools better.”
Kolb credits CEHD’s Education Leadership program with providing the foundation for the work she does today. “My experience in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University provided a strong foundation for the leadership roles I hold today,” she said. “The program emphasized both the theory and practice of educational leadership, challenging me to think strategically while always keeping students at the center of decision-making.”
Perhaps most importantly, she says CEHD reinforced values that continue to guide her leadership. “CEHD reinforced the importance of equity, innovation, and lifelong learning,” Kolb said. “Those values continue to guide my work as a director of adult education, where I advocate for opportunities that help individuals transform their lives through education.”
Few stories illustrate that impact more clearly than one of Kolb’s former students, Trayvon. When Trayvon entered the program, he was struggling academically and socially. Quiet and reserved, he rarely asked questions and lacked confidence in the classroom. His mother turned to Clarendon County Adult Education for help. The transformation that followed left a lasting impression on Kolb and her staff. “By the time he finished, he asked questions all the time,” she said. “He spoke in front of the class with confidence. He made friends with classmates and teachers.”
The team connected Trayvon with a Marine Corps recruiter, and today he serves as a United States Marine. “He came back and spoke at our graduation this year and got a standing ovation,” Kolb said. “Of course, we teachers cried!”
While student success stories remain at the heart of her work, Kolb is also proud of the broader advocacy efforts she has undertaken on behalf of adult learners. Last year, she was selected as South Carolina’s advocate for adult education, giving her a platform to raise awareness about the critical role adult education programs play in communities across the state and nation. “As an introvert, this new role is kind of scary,” she admitted. “But then I think of how scary it must be for an adult to walk through the doors of a school building and ask someone to help them get an education that they missed, and I get over the fear of advocating quickly.”
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Kolb remains committed to supporting the institution that helped launch her leadership journey. As a member of the CEHD Alumni Chapter Board, she values the opportunity to stay connected with George Mason and invest in future generations of educators. “Serving on the CEHD Alumni Chapter Board allows me to stay connected to the institution that played such an important role in shaping my career as an educator and leader,” she said. “Remaining engaged with George Mason University gives me the opportunity to give back by supporting future educators and helping to strengthen the connection between the university and its alumni.”
For five consecutive years, Clarendon County Adult Education has increased the number of graduates it serves while maintaining student and staff retention rates above 90 percent. Looking ahead, Kolb’s goals are straightforward. "The goal for CCAE is simple: just keep getting better,” she said.
The program continues to expand workforce readiness and paraprofessional certification opportunities while seeing GED completion numbers rebound. “One of the beautiful things about Adult Education is that no two years are the same,” Kolb said.
For aspiring educational leaders, she offers advice rooted in experience: prioritize continuous improvement, build inclusive communities, leverage your professional network, and commit to lifelong learning. “Education leadership is a marathon, not a sprint,” Kolb said. “Your CEHD education has provided you with the foundation; your empathy, resilience, and willingness to listen will define your legacy.”
For Kolb, that legacy is already taking shape through the lives she helps transform every day, one student, one opportunity, and one second chance at a time.
This story supports the Future Ready Teachers initiative and our priority of reclaiming the narrative around teaching as a profession.