Awards and Accolades

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