This is a shortened list of the awards and accolades that Kelly received over her career.

Personal Awards

Higher Education Awards

• 2025 TJCSGA State Advisor
• 2025 TJCSGA Advisor of the Year
• 2025 TJCSGA Region 2 Advisor of the Year
• 2025 SkillsUSA Texas Post-Secondary Advisor of the Year (Advanced to Nationals)
• 2024 Dallas College Advisor of the Year – Richland Campus
• 2024 TJCSGA Advisor Elect
• 2023 Mentored TJCSGA Student of the Year
• 2021 TJCSGA Advisor of the Year
• 2021 TJCSGA Region 2 Advisor of the Year
• 2020 TJCSGA Region 2 Advisor of the Year

Awards earned outside of Higher Education

• National Buena Vista Promotional Contest Disney’s “The Lion King” – 2nd Place
• Cobb Theaters/ Buena Vista Promotional Contest Disney’s “The Lion King”- 1st Place
• National Buena Vista Promo Contest “Nightmare Before Christmas” – 3rd Place
• Cobb Theaters/ Buena Vista Promo Contest “Nightmare Before Christmas”- 1st Place National
• Buena Vista Pocahontas Showmanship Award National Buena Vista Toy Story Showmanship Award

Group Awards with Kelly as Advisor

Student Government Association, Dallas College, Richland Campus

TJCSGA AWARDS

• 2022 State Convention
  • Student of the Year: Daniel Juarez
  • Outstanding Delegation
  • Community Service: Giving Tree Project
  • Scrapbook (2nd place): Theme: Rebuilding
  • Best Poetry (Runner Up): by Yonata Kidane
  • Chapter of the Year (3rd place)
  • State Officer Honorary: Celia Hall, State Secretary
  • Region of the Year: Region II
• 2021 State Convention
  • Student of the Year: Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez
  • Joel Franke Memorial Advisor of the Year: Kelly Sonnanstine
  • Event of the Year (3rd place)
  • Region of the Year: Region II
• 2020 State Convention
  • Joel Franke Memorial Advisor of the Year (Runner Up) : Kelly Sonnanstine
  • Event of the Year (3rd place)
  • Community Service (3rd place)
• 2019 State Convention
  • Scrapbook: Through the Year
  • Community Service
  • Best Essay (Runner Up): by Hazam Alhattai
  • Sweepstakes Award
  • Region of the Year (Runner Up): Region 2
• 2018 State Convention
  • Joel Franke Memorial Advisor of the Year (3rd place) : Kelly Sonnanstine
  • Region of the Year: Region 2
• 2017 State Convention
  • Poetry (Honorable Mention): by Greg Weasah
  • Scrapbook (Runner Up): Superduck
  • Region of the Year: Region 2
    

TJCSGA Region II AWARDS

• 2022 Region II Conference
  • Student of the Year: Daniel Juarez
  • Community Service: Giving Tree Project
  • Best Poetry (Runner Up): by Yonata Kidane
  • Chapter of the Year (3rd place)
  • Region of the Year: Region II
• 2021 Region II Conference
  • Student of the Year: Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez
  • Advisor of the Year: Kelly Sonnanstine
  • Chapter of the Year (3rd Place)
  • Community Service (3rd Place)
  • Virtual Event of the Year (2nd Place): DC7 Summit
• 2020 Region II Conference
  • Advisor of the Year: Kelly Sonnanstine
• 2019 Region II Conference
  • Scrapbook: Developing a New Kind of Texas
  • Community Service
  • Event of the Year
  • Chapter of the Year (Runner Up)
  • Student of the Year (Runner Up): Haya Qazi
  • Advisor of the Year (Runner Up): Kelly Sonnanstine
• 2018 Region II Conference
  • Advisor of the Year: Kelly Sonnanstine

SkillsUSA Dallas College, Richland Campus Chapter

2024-2025 Academic Year

National Competition

• 2025 National Gold Medal – Advertising Design 
• 2025 National Gold Medal  – Chapter Display  
• 2025 National Gold Medal  – Community Action Project 
• 2025 National Silver Medal – Chapter Business Procedure  

State Level Competitions

• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Advertising Design
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Chapter Business Procedure
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Chapter Display
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Community Action Project
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Community Service
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Customer Service
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Early Childhood Education
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Employment Application Process
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Pin Design
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Promotional Bulletin Board
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Quiz Bowl
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, Related Technical Math
• 2025 Texas State Gold Medal, T-Shirt Design
• 2025 Texas State Silver Medal, Customer Service
• 2025 Texas State Silver Medal, Employment Application Process
• 2025 Texas State Silver Medal, Job Interview
• 2025 Texas State Silver Medal, Pin Design
• 2025 Texas State Silver Medal, Related Technical Math
• 2025 Texas State Bronze Medal, Related Technical Math
• 2025 Texas State Bronze Medal, Pin Design
• 2025 Texas State Bronze Medal, T-Shirt Design

2023 – 2024 Academic Year

National Awards

• 2024 National SkillsUSA Gold Medal, Community Action Project
• 2024 National SkillsUSA Silver Medal, Chapter Display
• 2024 National SkillsUSA Silver Medal, Chapter Business Procedure
• 2024 National SkillsUSA Bronze Medal, Customer Service.

State Level Competition

• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Pin Design
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Community Service
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, T-Shirt Design
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Early Childhood Education
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Audio Production
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Chapter Display
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Customer Service
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Employment Application
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Related Technical Math
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Job Interview
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Promotional Bulletin Board
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Prepared Speech
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Community Action Project
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Extemporaneous Speaking
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Digital Cinema Production
• 2024 Texas State Gold Medal, Chapter Business Procedure
• 2024 Texas State Silver Medal, Pin Design
• 2024 Texas State Silver Medal, Audio Production
• 2024 Texas State Silver Medal, Digital Cinema Production
• 2024 Texas State Silver Medal, Customer Service
• 2024 Texas State Silver Medal, Employment Application
• 2024 Texas State Silver Medal, Related Technical Math
• 2024 Texas State Silver Medal, Prepared Speech
• 2024 Texas State Silver Medal, Job Interview
• 2024 Texas State Silver Medal, Extemporaneous Speaking
• 2024 Texas State Bronze Medal, Pin Design
• 2024 Texas State Bronze Medal, T-Shirt Design
• 2024 Texas State Bronze Medal, Customer Service
• 2024 Texas State Bronze Medal, Job Skill Demonstration A
• 2024 Texas State Bronze Medal, Related Technical Math
• 2024 Texas State Bronze Medal, Prepared Speech
• 2024 Texas State Bronze Medal, Extemporaneous Speaking
• 2024 Texas State Bronze Medal, Job Skill Demonstration Open