The Foreign Language Association of Virginia
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AWARDS and GRANTS

AWARDS

FLAVA Awards! Click here for past and present FLAVA award recipients!

2011 FLAVA Awards
Presented at the 2011 FLAVA Conference
October 8, 2011

David E. Cox Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award

The David Cox FLAVA Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award was awarded to Ms. Gisele Vázquez-Falls. Gisele is a NBCT of Spanish in VA Beach. Teacher of the year, Sponsor of the Spanish Honorary Society, Spanish Cafe and and an Exchange program called "We share one world". Gisele is a leader in her field and her community, said Dr. Maria Still. She models 'Best Practices' in her classroom so that her students can be engaged. Congratulations Gisele!

The Helen Warriner-Burke FLAVA Distinguished Service

Dr Linda Szwabowski Nancy Cundiff Sheila Cockey Three retiring Board members, Dr. Linda Szwabowski as the Conference Committee Chair, Nancy Cundiff as Secretary, Sheila Cockey as Bulletin Editor, each received a plaque representing the Helen Warriner-Burke for Distinguished Service to FLAVA. All three have worked tirelessly for the organization, the community at large, and the World Language profession. They are responsible for many good things that make our world a better place to be. On behalf of the Executive Board, Thank you, from the bottom of our heart!

The Marshall Brannon FLAVA Excellence in Teaching Award, Post-Secondary

Dr Lynn Talbot The Marshall Brannon - Excellence in FL Teaching Post-Secondary Award was received by Dr. Lynn Talbot, professor of Spanish in Roanoke College, a veteran professor with exemplary dedication to teaching the Spanish language for many years. She leads the Study Abroad Immersion Program in Argentina, Mexico and Spain. She encourages students to give back to their community. She really makes a real difference in the intellectual development and lives of her students, writes Dr. Charlene Kalinoski.

FLAVA Friends of Education Award

The FLAVA Friends of Education Award was overwhelmingly offered to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) for their educational, cultural exhibits that benefits teachers, students and the public at large. The VMFA is truly a community partner for World Language and Art Educators.

Additional Awards and Recognitions

2011 Jocelyne Couture-Nowak Memorial Scholarship

2011 Jocelyne Couture-Nowak Memorial Scholarship awardee was Sarah Kilbourne.

2011 Jamie Bishop Memorial Scholarship

2011 Jamie Bishop Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Philipp Kotlaba and Nicholas Denny.



Dear FLAVA Members,

It is with great pride and joy that I announce Marty Abbott's appointment as 
Executive Director of ACTFL: this just days after she addressed us at our 
conference so thoughtfully and thought-provokingly.

I am sending this letter to Marty--originally meaning just to thank her for 
speaking to us and celebrating with us, but now also to congratulate her on 
this coup!

Onwards and upwards!
Kathryn
										

Best of FLAVA:

Determined by evaluations turned in at the end of the conference, we honor three of our presenters as the best presentations at FLAVA. Our congratulations to Shirley, Eugenia and Amy.

Best of FLAVA ( SCOLT)
Shirley Hall (Virginia Beach Schools).
Her topic entitled "Timeless Strategies to improve Latin Instruction" looked at various ways to increase critical thinking skills in the Latin classroom and also provides teachers various strategies to help students to write in Latin.

Best of FLAVA ( NECTFL)
Eugenia Muñoz's topic (VCU)
"A method of teaching Literary Reading, analysis and Interpretation". Her workshop, intended for teachers who want to guide students in learning how to read, analyse and interpret literary texts (narrative and poetry), compare them to real life.

Runner up
Amy Petersen (Chesterfield County Public Schools)
presented "Promoting Collaboration and Success with Groups" topic geared to learn strategies for grouping students as well as cooperative learning exercises, problem-solving activities and games.

Student Contest winners:

The FLAVA "Languages are Timeless" poster contest was won by: Ty'khary Antonio Rawlings (1st place); Amanda Elisabeth Ruck (2nd) and Brionna Nicole Boetger (3rd), all from Francis W. Jones Magnet Middle School, Hampton, under the guidance of their teacher, Ana Estrada.

2010 FLAVA Awards
Presented at the 2010 FLAVA Conference
October 9, 2010

David E. Cox Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award

MamiyaWorland (3K) The David Cox FLAVA Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award was awarded to Mamiya Worland. She is a teacher of Japanese at Great Falls Elementary School in Fairfax County. As FLAVA Teacher of the Year (TOY), Mamiya represented FLAVA in the NECTFL TOY competition.

The Helen Warriner-Burke FLAVA Distinguished Service

HelenSmall (11K) The Helen Warriner-Burke FLAVA Distinguished Service was Awarded to Helen Small, specialist for Foreign Languages Office of Standards, Curriculum, and Instruction, The VA Department of Education.

The Marshall Brannon FLAVA Excellence in Teaching Award, Post-Secondary

fabrice_teulon (3K)Dr. Fabrice Teulon, Professor of French, VA Tech University and President of the AATF Virginia Chapter won the Marshall Brannon FLAVA Award for Excellence in Foreign Language Teaching, Post-Secondary. This award which recognizes a post-secondary foreign language educator who has demonstrated excellence in foreign language teaching was deeply deserved by Fabrice. Not only an excellent classroom teacher who is admired and loved by his students, Fabrice Teulon also has given numerous, high quality sessions at FLAVA over the years treating important topics related to contemporary French culture. In 2007 he was the recipient of the "Best of FLAVA" award.

FLAVA Friends of Education Award

Goethe-Institut Washington (8K) Awarded to the Goethe Institute - For its commitment to Foreign Language education through Seminars, Support, Celebrations and training not only to German educators, also for other European languages.

Additional Awards and Recognitions

National Recognition for a VFLSA Member

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Paula Patrick and VFLSA Members, along with the VDOE Specialist for Foreign Languages at the NADSFL/ACTFL Conference (Right to Left, Paula Patrick, Gregory Jones, Helen Small, and Suzette Wyhs)
During the National Association of District Supervisors of Foreign Languages' fall conference, held in conjunction with the ACTFL conference, in November, Paula Patrick (Coordinator for World Languages, Fairfax County Public Schools) received the NADSFL Supervisor of the Year Award. The award, co-sponsored by Pearson, is presented for outstanding service and leadership at the local, state, regional and national levels, and evidence of continuous professional growth. Paula is the Past President of the VFLSA. We are proud of her distinguished accomplishment and honored to count her among our membership. Congratulations Paula!

2010 Jocelyne Couture-Nowak Memorial Scholarship

2010 Jocelyne Couture-Nowak Memorial Scholarship awardee was Raumi Sidki.

2010 Jamie Bishop Memorial Scholarship

2010 Jamie Bishop Memorial Scholarship went to Tory Smith.

From the Chinese Community:

The CLTA-VA Professional Development Award is granted to one recipient each year to subsidize his or her participation in the annual meeting in October. Any full-time Chinese language teacher is encouraged to apply. The award is created to enhance professional development for Chinese language teachers who are committed to Chinese language education and are willing to serve the community. This year's recipient is Tina Gao.

More about Tina Gao:

After serving in the IT industry for 20 years, Tina Gao joined George Mason High School in 2006 and became a Chinese language teacher. Since then, she has taken on initiatives to promote and enhance the Chinese language and cultures at GMHS and in the community. She has led a China exploration tour and established the very first China Exchange Program in Falls Church, and led the group of students to China for exchange in 2008.

From the Spanish Community:

The AATSP-VA presented a free membership for 2011 to Sonya Stowe. This is an annual presentation and is part of our fall luncheon meeting. Everyone who is present at the luncheon is eligible to win this wonderful award.

Sonya is a relatively new member of our chapter and we are delighted she was at the luncheon and was holding the winning ticket. We know she is happy to have received the membership, worth $65.00, and we are looking forward to seeing her at future chapter events.

Best of FLAVA:

Determined by evaluations turned in at the end of the conference, we honor three of our presenters as the best presentations at FLAVA. One will go to NECTFL and the others to SCOLT in the spring of 2011, representing FLAVA and presenting their sessions there. The session descriptions from the conference program are below. Our congratulations to Kathryn, Karleesha and Karyn.

Karyn M. Robertson and Karleesha Wright
Francis C. Hammond Middle School, Alexandria City Public Schools
Keeping the World Language Classroom Going - From Start to Finish

Join us as we share strategies for maintaining a world language classroom that is structured, engaging, and communicates that students are responsible for their own learning. This could be beneficial particularly for new teachers or even veterans interested in spicing up their lessons. Participants will receive handouts ready to use Monday morning!

Kathryn Murphy-Judy
Virginia Commonwealth University
Beyond Google Search: Inter-operative, collaborative, Web 2.0 tools

A discovery of Google beyond "search": collaborative word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, wiki, blog, calendars, chat, wave, and how they all intersect and can serve the world language teacher and learner. Comparable non-Google web 2.0 services will be listed.

2009 FLAVA Awards
Presented at the 2009 FLAVA Conference
October 10, 2009

David E. Cox Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award

The David E. Cox Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award goes to Alisa Bearov Landrum, Oscar F. Smith High School, Chesapeake, VA. Alisa switched from a brilliant career as a lawyer to that of World Language educator seven years ago. She sought and obtained National Board certification in 2007 after achieving a 200/200 in her Praxis exam in French. That same year, she held a Fulbright Scholarship to Guadeloupe. Already in 2006, Alisa shone in FLAVA circles, earning the Best of FLAVA for that year. Even in her first year in our ranks, she won the Rookie of the Year Award from Hugo Owens Middle School (2004-2005).

Alisa joined the Oscar Smith faculty two years ago and immediately set out to create a "bonjour culture" and increase the visibility of French within the school. Within her first few weeks, Alisa redecorated the foreign language hall with posters and articles promoting the study of French and quotes by famous Americans who had either lived or studied in Paris. She revived the Cercle Français and recently chartered the Société Honoraire de Français, which will have its first induction this spring.

Alisa has also been instrumental in promoting National French Week by getting students to broadcast a "French Fun Fact" on our televised morning announcements and publicizing the event throughout the school.

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Alisa Bearov Landrum, Oscar F. Smith High School, receiving the 2009 David E. Cox Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award from Kathryn Murphy-Judy

Business and Industry Award

The 2009 Business & Industry Award goes to James Kinard of For the Love of Chocolate, an educational taste treat for many of us at 3136 Cary St. in Richmond's CaryTown area (Phone: 804-359-5645).

James has long been more than a friend of World Languages in our area. For many years he has taught Spanish at VCU as an adjunct professor all the while developing his chocolaterie, which has become nearly legendary in the Richmond area.

Not only does he carry a delicious selection of sweets from around the world but a walk through the aisles of FLC is a lesson in the global sweet tooth. There are delicacies from every continent but Antarctica! The emphasis, as the store's name bears out, however, is chocolate.

Foreign language educators in the our area can go to FLC to get educational treats for our classes. James always has something significant for various world language learners and he discounts when I tell him it's for class. So, if it's Gummibears for German, or Eiffel Tower chocolate squares, or rain forest cocoa, James offers it.

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James Kinard, For the Love of Chocolate, receiving the 2009 FLAVA Business and Industry Award from Kathryn Murphy-Judy

Virginia Tech

The 2009 Jocelyne Couture-Nowak Memorial Scholarship awardee of an annual membership in FLAVA is Kathryn Steele.

The 2009 Jamie Bishop awardee of an annual membership in FLAVA is Lisa Cotter.

These awards are presented to language majors at Virginia Tech in memory of the two faculty members slain in 2007.

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Accepting the awards is Elizabeth Calavera

Warm Welcome to a new US Citizen!

A warm, all-American welcome to a corporate sponsor (Vista Higher Learning) and her spouse:
Betty Gegundez and husband, Rubén, on joining us as American citizens, October 8, 2009.

Betty_Gegundez (18K)


The ACTFL-NYSAFLT Anthony Papalia Award for Excellence in Teacher Education

Dr. Judith L. Schrum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

JudithSchrum (2K) Dr. Judith L. Schrum's academic title is Professor of Spanish and Second Language Education at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, but the list of her accomplishments and the testimony of the many colleagues, students, and former students who wrote nominating her for the Papalia Award for Excellence in Teacher Education make it clear that she has truly been a mentor, teacher, and leader to all of us in the field of foreign language education.

At her own institution she is known as an excellent faculty member who established a number of new programs and directs the teacher preparation program in foreign language education, as well as for her "unique ability to lead and recruit students into foreign language teaching." Her list of publications and presentations is extensive and wide-ranging. The "far-reaching impact of her co-authored methods textbook, Teacher's Handbook: Contextualized Language Instruction" has had "long-standing influence on countless numbers of pre-service and in-service language teachers in the U.S. and abroad."

As one nominator wrote, Judith Shrum "personifies the type of person that Tony Papalia himself was. She is a pillar of the profession who has selflessly dedicated herself to improving the quality of language teachers and language teaching."

- Laurel Rasplica Rodd

Accepting the ACTFL/NYASFLT Anthony Papalia Award for Excellence in Teacher Education reminds me of my humble beginnings as a teacher of French and Spanish in elementary, middle, and high schools in Kentucky and North Carolina, in suburban and inner city schools during the integration years of the 60's and 70's. When I joined ACTFL in those early days of my career, I didn't realize that I would grow up with ACTFL and with award winners like Anthony Papalia and Wilga Rivers, who shaped the way I taught. At ACTFL conferences and throughout graduate school, Papalia Award winners were the 'must read' scholars who shaped the way I thought. To be among them is a cherished honor that, for me, carries a responsibility to continue to inform and be informed, to inspire and be inspired by foreign language professionals everywhere.

- Judith Shrum

ACTFL Website 3/11/09
http://actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=5000


FLAVA Awards and Award Recipients 2008

The FLAVA Executive Board in 2007 voted to rename the FLAVA Awards to honor three of Virginia's long-standing and highly influential members. The K-12 award is now posthumously named the David Cox Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award, the post-secondary award will heretofore be the Marshall Brannon FLAVA Excellence in Teaching Post-Secondary Award, and for distinguished service we now have the Helen Warriner-Burke FLAVA Distinguished Service Award. We look forward to awarding these latter two in 2008 with Mr. Brannon and Mrs. Warriner Burke presenting to the winners.




Laura_Franklin (14K)The 2008 recipient of the Helen Warriner-Burke Distinguished Service Award is Dr. Laura Franklin.

Dr. Warriner-Burke reminded all of us of the importance of language education and preparing new generations of teachers and students. Then, she presented the award to Dr. Laura Franklin.

Dr. Franklin is a shining example of the best and most dedicated of language professionals in Virginia. Many FLAVA members know her from her cutting edge technology work: since 2000, she has been the co-editor of MERLOT, the leading source of professionally vetted multimedia online resources for learning and online teaching. A veteran language educator, with a BA with distinction from George Washington University in 1979, she went on to get her Masters in 1981 and doctorate in 1989.

She has been on the faculty at Northern Virginia Community College since 1992 where she is currently a professor and she also served as Assistant Dean for World Languages. She is the 2009 chair of the Northeast Conference and has been president of our sister organization, GWALT, in addition to memberships in ACTFL, AATF, College Board Testing committees, New Horizons.

In addition, she has been awarded the 2008 Innovative Use of MERLOT Award with the Virginia Community College System (and her college, the Northern Virginia Community College was just cited nationally as one of the top three community colleges in instructional technology), 2007 ACTFL/Houghton Mifflin Teaching Languages with Technology with IALLT, Outstanding Faculty Award, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, Chancellor’s Commonwealth Professor, Virginia Community College System, 1998-2000.

She publishes widely and very, very importantly to Virginia Teacher Education has been highly instrumental in the Career Switchers Program for teachers. Where the Virginia Community College System is critical to education today in the Commonwealth, Dr. Franklin, herself is pivotal in the delivery of dual enrollment, career switcher opportunities and technology integration in languages and beyond.




Patricia_Cummins (17K)The 2008 recipient of the Marshall Brannon FLAVA Excellence in Foreign Language Teaching Post Secondary Award is Dr. Patricia Cummins

Marshall Brannon spoke of his career and the importance of mentoring language colleagues. He then presented Dr. Patricia Cummins with the award.

Since finishing her doctorate in 1973 from UNC, Dr. Cummins has participated fully in the teaching ranks as a certified teacher of French-Spanish-English-Social Studies, a college professor, a chair, a dean and a Vice-Provost for Academic Affairs. Even during her years in administration, Dr. Cummins always kept a foot in the classroom. In Virginia since 2000, she has worked tirelessly to articulate LinguaFolio with the Global Language Portfolio and has integrated the Common European Frame of Reference for global validation. Her grant work is helping develop commonly and less commonly taught languages, currently opening doors for Arabic and Chinese studies. She maintains strong links to Business and Professional language uses, not only in her courses and grants but in constantly seeking linkages and opportunities for students. Since coming to Virginia, she has been knighted in the French Order of Palmes Académiques (lifetime achievement award). I cannot even begin to list her grants, awards, publications and many endeavors because they are all so impressive and important.




Susan_Bowman (19K)The 2008 recipient of the David Cox Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award is Mrs. Susan Bowman.

Last year FLAVA awarded the first David E. Cox FLAVA Excellence in Teaching K-12 Award. This year Mrs. Carolyn Cox, David’s wife, came to recognize the naming of the award in her late husband’s honor and to present the award to the 2008 recipient, Mrs. Susan Bowman of Salem High School in Salem Virginia.

Mrs. Bowman who is a graduate of Radford College and has an M.Ed. from the College of William and Mary, teaches Latin and has served in the past as Chair of the Foreign Language Department. She is, notably, also a math teacher. Mrs. Bowman routinely participates in the Latin Immersion weekends, IB training, the governor’s Latin Academy, Alpha Delta Kappa, and numerous statewide, regionaland local Latin and Classical organizations. Yet, it is at the school level where we can really see the heart and soul of her teaching. She runs the Latin Club and the Latin Honor Society in addition to frequent study abroad programs.

Her chair and nominator wrote of her unflagging volunteerism, where her ‘first priority is harmony, productivity and collegiality...”




Virginia Tech Couture-Nowak & Bishop Awards

The next set of awards honors the upcoming generation among whom we hope will come great future language educators: In honor of our slain colleagues from VA Tech, FLAVA has created the Jocelyne Couture-Nowak and Jamie Bishop Scholarships.

Each award constitutes a 1-year FLAVA membership and registration for that year’s conference. The 2008 recipients are Rebecca La Creta, Audrey Froelich and Elizabeth Potter. Dr. Fabrice Teulon, professor of French from VA Tech accepted the awards in their stead.




FLAVA Grant for National Board Certification

Heather_Nolan (18K)The final award of the year was the FLAVA grant for National Board Certification applicants for 2008-2009. Isi Kessel explained the importance of National Board Certification for FLAVA Grant National Board Certification for Virginia language educators and named this year’s recipient, Ms. Heather Nolan, who teaches in Henrico County.




Best of FLAVA 2008

Determined by evaluations turned in at the end of the conference, we honor two of our presenters as the best presentations at FLAVA. One will go to NECTFL and one to SCOLT in the spring of 2008, representing FLAVA and presenting their sessions there. The session descriptions from the conference program are below. Our congratulations to Cindie and Fabrice!




... to SCOLT Becky McQueen
Stanton River High School

“A Bag of Tricks”

“A Bag of Tricks,” my presentation at FLAVA, is a collection of what one might call “eye”deas (ideas) to get past the use of English in a foreign language class. The “tricks” consist of visuals and manipulatives designed to immediately get the students thinking in the language. They range from simple laminated pictures, phrase lists, and verb charts to a variety of puppets and dolls as well as paper lunch bags filled with pictures of things to eat. Whether the object merely hangs on the wall or is actually placed in a student’s hand, the goal is the same—to eliminate the English footbridge and move him into internalizing the language. These ideas are applicable to any language and lend themselves easily to beginning language concepts or more complex linguistic structures, depending on the needs of the class. Most are quick and easy to pull out for those moments in the lesson where a little more reinforcement or merely a change of pace is needed.




... to NECTFL Welby Griffin
Wakefield Country Day School

"Virtual Villae"

My presentation “Virtual Villae: an Interactive Approach to Teaching about Roman Houses” was based on an interactive slide show I developed for my Latin I students. It involves two browsable, hyperlinked slide shows. The first uses photographs, illustrations, animation and text to guide users through an introduction to types of houses and the most famous archeological sites. The second teaches students about Italian geography, rooms of the houses, and customs related to houses by allowing users to build and furnish a virtual Roman house. They begin by picking between properties, then chose a home model and finally furnish each room. Each room sequence begins with a slide giving information about that room and a collage of photos and illustrations from actual houses. In the rooms they can choose from a selection of accurate mosaics and frescoes and then accessorize with furniture (which was hand drawn by me—each piece is based on archeological evidence and was enhanced with realistic textures and patterns using Adobe Photoshop). The show is paired with a catalogue/workbook which prompts the students to answer questions about the rooms while challenging them to complete their house within a set budget.


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