Annual Awards

​If you would like to nominate someone (or yourself) for one of the WAFLT awards listed below, please click here or contact WAFLT at wafltboard@gmail.com  

Deadline for all awards is April 15th.

WAFLT TEACHER OF THE YEAR
This award is a recognition given to members who have a proven track record of:
1. Promoting recognition of the importance of World Language study within and beyond the school community.
2. Displaying innovative approaches and modeling creativity in the teaching of world languages, including sharing, networking and mentoring of colleagues.
3. Promoting excellence and inspiring students.
4. Creating a superior program for his/her department.
5. Striving to promote greater cultural awareness, intercultural understanding, and the celebration of diversity within the classroom and school communities.

​Candidate qualifications: 

1. Candidate must be a current WAFLT member and a current world language teacher. See below. 

2. Per ACTFL's website: Successful candidates must be full-time language educators who spend at least fifty-percent (50%) of their time in direct teaching during the year of application with an expectation of teaching during the next two (2) years.

3. This award recipient will also be WAFLT's candidate for the PNCFL Teacher of the Year. The ultimate recipient of PNCFL's award will be the regional representative for the ACTFL Teacher of the Year. 

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PRO LINGUA AWARD
This award, WAFLT's most prestigious, was inaugurated in 1973. It has been awarded to distinguished world language educators from the elementary to college levels. It has also been awarded to individuals outside our profession, for example, from the world of journalism, business and government. The Pro Lingua Award recognizes individuals or organizations which have made outstanding contributions: 
1. In promoting intercultural and international understanding;
2. To the teaching of world languages and to the development and implementation of learning theories;
3. In creating community interest in and awareness of the importance of world language education.

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INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE
This certificate is presented to a person or persons selected by the WAFLT board who has demonstrated leadership and inspiration to others in the world language fields. This certificate recognizes important contributions in promoting, organizing, supporting, defending, lobbying, or planning some important aspect of study of world languages and/or cultures.

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PUBLIC AWARENESS CERTIFICATE
This certificate is given to a person or persons who conducted activities or staged events which garnered publicity and created public awareness for the study of foreign languages. Highly recognized world language fairs, community speakers' bureaus, radio and television ads, media stories concerning school programs, and other events aimed at increasing the exposure of second language study to the general populace are examples of the types of activities which the recipient of this award has initiated.

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CREATIVE INNOVATION CERTIFICATE
This certificate is presented to a person or persons who developed and used innovative methods of teaching in the world language classroom. This could include creative means for teaching second language conversation, inventive ideas for instructing students in culture and multi-cultural awareness, or new and effective methods for developing second language reading and writing skills. Nominee MUST be a WAFLT member.

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CONTINUED DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CERTIFICATE
This certificate is presented to a person or persons whose contributions to the world language profession have been unflagging and have enjoyed widespread impact. Creating, writing, and/or editing of world language publications; organizational work and service with special projects; help with letter-writing campaigns, leadership in running regional and state conferences, and energetic support of WAFLT activities in general over a period of years are activities this certificate endeavors to recognize.

STUDENT EXCEL SCHOLARSHIPS
The Washington Association for Language Teaching offers up to three $1,000.00 scholarships each year to Washington residents taking advanced world language courses at the university level. The award is merit based rather than need based. The application deadline is April 15 each year and the notification of award will be made by May 15. For an application, click here and to see the flyer with more information, click here. 

Previous Awardees

WAFLT congratulates all of our previous award recipients!

​LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

2021 - Lauren Kiolet - WAFLT Executive Director (2002-2021)

WAFLT TEACHER OF THE YEAR

2021 - Jessica Ruiz, East Valley High School

2020 - Dr. Eduardo Viana de Silva, University of Washington

2019 - Alissa Farias - Tacoma Public Schools TOSA

2018 - Zoe Jiang, Chinese Teacher, Skyline High School

2017 - Lynn Johnston, French & German Teacher, Edmonds Middle School

2016 - Rick Beck - German Teacher, West Valley High School

2015 - Catherine Ousselin, French Teacher, Mount Vernon High School

2014 - Nora Hallett, German Teacher, Timberline High School, Lacey

2013 - Gisela Hanks, German Teacher, Ferris High School, Spokane

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PRO LINGUA AWARD

2021 - Hyogo Business and Culture

2020 -  Monique Roske

2019 - Michele Anciaux Aoki - International Education and and World Language Advocate 

2018 - Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib

2017 - Michael Shapiro, Mount Vernon School District 

2016 - Bernard Koontz, Chair of Washington’s Bilingual Education Advisory Council (BEAC)

2015 -

2014 -

2013 - Carl Falsgraf, Former director, Center for Applied Second Language Studies, (CASLS) Eugene, OR

INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE

2021 - Izumi Matsuda-Kiami

2020 - Margarita Hurtado

2019 -María Gillman - University of Washington

2018 - Nancy Cole - Spokane Public Schools / OSPI Mentor

2017 - Alissa Farias - Spanish Teacher, Tacoma Public Schools

2016 - Tricia Nielsen, Spanish Teacher, Seattle School District

2015 - Alejandro Lee, Spanish Professor at Central Washington University

2014 - Yoshitaka Inoue, Japanese Teacher, Kamiak HS, Mukilteo SD

2013 - Lynn Johnston, Spanish, French teacher, Alderwood Middle School

PUBLIC AWARENESS CERTIFICATE

2021 - Jingran Wan

2020 - Washington Association for American and Chinese Education (WAACE) 

2019 - Ashley Landes - Assistant Principal: Skyline High School (Issaquah)

2018 - The Confucius Institute of the State of Washington

2017 - Consulate General of Japan

2016 - Paris Granville, K-12 World Language curriculum developer for Bellevue

2015 - Roxana Norouzi, Director of Education & Integration Policy for  OneAmerica

2014 - Charlyn Dalvit, Mount Vernon High School, Mount Vernon

2013 - Center for Spanish Studies, represented by Eva González-Abad and Maria Gillman

CREATIVE INNOVATION CERTIFICATE

2021 - Matt Remle

2020 - Jessica Ruiz - East Valley High School

2019 - Chunqing (Tracy) Ge - Sammamish High School

2018 - Tina Searle - Mount Vernon Schools

2017 - Kate Kuravackal

2016 -Amos Wiedmeyer, Sammamish High School in the Bellevue School

2015 -

2014 - Lynn Johnston, Spanish/French Teacher, Alderwood Middle School, Edmonds School District

CONTINUED DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CERTIFICATE

2021 - Donna Lansberry - Retired Everett Schools

2020 - Taeko Tashibu - Retired Seattle Public Schools

2019 - Teresita Tobón - Bellevue Schools

2018 - Paris Granville - Bellevue Schools World Language Lead

2017 - Brenda Gaver - East Valley Schools

2016 - Bridget Yaden, Pacific Lutheran University

2015 - Ray Verzasconi, Professor Emeritus, Oregon State University, WAFLT Lifetime Member, FORUM Editor, PNCFL Founder

2014 -

2013 - Mary Anne O’Neil, French, Whitman University, retired

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