After more than 30 years of hard work and a commitment to bettering the lives of Fairfax County residents, Del. Kenneth Plum's (D-36) efforts to enrich adult education culminated with the Oct. 24 dedication of the Plum Center for Lifelong Learning in Springfield.

The center, which houses several hundred classes for the Adult and Community Education (ACE) program, was opened to students in May, but was officially dedicated in Plum's honor at the Saturday’s ceremony.

“I am pleased that Fairfax County Public Schools has chosen to establish a lifelong learning center,” said Plum, who represents the Reston area in the House of Delegates. “Nothing could send a clearer message to persons of all ages of the importance of learning throughout our lifetimes than the establishment of a center like this.”

The Plum Center, located at 6815 Edsall Road in Springfield, was originally Edsall Park Elementary School and later served as the home to the FCPS Department of Human Resources until its recent renovation. After the renovations were completed, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution naming the facility after Plum at its Sept. 4, 2008 meeting. According to the resolution, Plum was being recognized for developing the county’s adult education program “from a small initiative to a world-class program with unparalleled breadth and depth.”

Plum's efforts to develop and expand adult education in the county began in 1965 when Plum got a job with FCPS as an intern teacher after graduating from the University of Virginia. He was initially a part-time room coordinator at Edison High School, and then taught U.S. and state history in night classes for high school students at Woodson High School. In 1968, he was chosen to lead the ACE program, and remained its administrator until 1996.

“Ken was able to foster the enormous growth that ACE sees today,” said Woodson Adult High School Principal Jane Cruz. “The phenomenal growth of ACE couldn't have happened without Ken's energy, creativity and vision.”

In addition to the dedication of the center itself, a multipurpose room in the Plum Center was dedicated to the late Cuong Nguyen. Nguyen, 61, was a former administrator of FCPS' English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program and died in a boating accident Jan. 13 while visiting Bangkok. Several speakers, including Plum, former colleagues and even his daughter, Christine spoke to a crowd gathered in the room for the ceremonial dedication. Each praised Nguyen for his resolve and dedication to the ESOL program, and his commitment to improving the lives of immigrants in the area.

“Through his hard work and support of the growth of the program, Cuong made a huge difference in the lives of thousands of people in Fairfax County,” said former ACE director Bonnie Moore. “We've named this room after him so that the memory of his work and its influence on the community will continue through the work that goes on in here.”

According to ACE Coordinator James Ginther, by the end of the year, an estimated 10,000 students will have taken classes at the Plum Center. He said that the English for Speakers of Other Languages classes are currently the most popular offerings at the center, with medical and dental certification programs following close behind. In addition, Ginther said that the center conducts training programs for FCPS staff and faculty and will host community events, as well.

Though the work inside the building has already begun and the school is already midway through its second semester of class offerings, Plum urged those in the school system not to be content with the center, offering advice on how to maintain the success of the ACE program. He said that it is possible, in tight economic times, to develop a growing program without being a heavy burden on the budget, and implored them not to impede that growth with bureaucratic measures.

“I am most humbled by this event,” Plum said. “Thank you to all responsible for it, most especially to the hundreds of men and women with whom I had the pleasure of working from 1965 to 1996. But I pray that this building will not be a monument to past glories but rather a citadel for future successes.”