Are you looking for a way to bring recognition to your program and your school? Do you have a colleague, administrator, or advocate that you would like to thank for their commitment to world languages? One of the benefits of membership to KWLA is that you are eligible to nominate deserving professionals (and be nominated) for our annual awards. KWLA is seeking nominations for awards presented annually to educators and leaders in world languages. Please nominate an outstanding colleague today!
Awards Nominations Guidelines
The Kentucky World Language Association is seeking nominations for awards presented to educators and leaders in world languages!
General Nomination Procedures:
If you are nominating for the Outstanding Teacher of the Year award, please visit the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award webpage for instructions as to how to nominate a candidate.
If you are nominating for any of the other awards (Outstanding Rising Star Teacher, Outstanding Administrator, Lifetime Achievement, and Amici Linguarum (Friend of Languages), please follow the instructions below:
- STEP 1: Review award eligibility criteria and required award nomination evidence outlined on the webpage of the award for which you are nominating a person. Links are available below.
- STEP 2: Fill out the required KWLA Awards Nomination Form
- STEP 3: Submit letters of recommendation and other required materials via email to awards@kwla.org
Deadline for nominations is June 30th. We encourage members to start the nomination process early as you should estimate about one week to collect all necessary nomination evidence and to submit. Award recipients will be notified by email no later than August 31st and officially recognized at the next KWLA Fall Conference during the Awards Ceremony.
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the KWLA Awards Committee Chair anytime at awards@kwla.org
DISCLAIMER: A press release for winners of the Outstanding Teacher Award will be published within a week after the conference. Press releases for all other awards winners will be available by request only.
This award recognizes an individual of the world language teaching profession who has demonstrated long-term achievement and service to the profession. Candidates for this award are automatically those who have been named the “Teacher of the Year” selected and awarded by the executive boards from the Kentucky Chapters of each of their own respective professional language teaching organizations (Currently in Kentucky, there are organizations for Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and K-8). The winner of this award will represent KWLA in the running to be named the Regional Teacher of the Year at SCOLT (www.scolt.org) or CSCTFL (www.csctfl.org), and then, potentially, at the national level at ACTFL (www.actfl.org)!
- 2023 – Lydia Kohler, George Rogers Clark High School
- 2022 – Ke Peng, Western Kentucky University*
- 2021 – Tracy Rucker, Louisville Collegiate
- 2020 – Jennifer Hoban, Louisville Collegiate
- 2019 – Elena Kamenetzky, Eastern High School **
- 2018 – Catherine Del Valle, Russell High School
- 2017 – Christine Hutchins, St. Francis School
- 2016 – Brenna Byrd, University of Kentucky *
- 2015 – Laura Roché Youngworth, Beaumont Middle School *
- 2014 – Miko Momozono, Picadome Elementary
- 2013 – Pamela Pennington, Scott High School
- 2012 – Jana Shultz, Ohio County High School
- 2011 – Maureen Motsinger, Scott High School
- 2010 – Terry Johnson, Western Hills High School
- 2009 – Michele Randolph, Meyzeek Middle School
- 2008 – Linda Zins-Adams, Highland High School *
- 2007 – Sharon Mattingly, Barren County High School
- 2006 – Diane Taylor, Dupont Manual High School & Jean Dudgeon, Elizabethtown KCTCS
- 2005 – Mimi Hagedorn, Bishop Brossart High School & Susan Marnatti, Beaumont Middle School
This award recognizes a teacher with no more than five years of experience (both in the U.S. and/or internationally) who already has made a significant impact on their students by exhibiting best practices to an uncommonly high degree.
- 2023 – Schuyler Bunn, Louisville Collegiate
- 2022 – M. Collin Smith, Greenwood High School
- 2021 – Marisol Martin, Liberty Elementary School
- 2020 – Sydney Meaux, Frederick Douglas High School
- 2019 – Amy Chalmers, Prestonsburg High School
- 2018 – María Mato-Fresán, Maxwell Elementary School
- 2017 – Michelle Martin-Sullivan, Floyd Central High School
- 2016 – Jennifer Kennedy, Southern Elementary
- 2015 – Katharine “Abby” Díaz, Meyzeek Middle School
- 2014 – Rebecca Heineke, Scott High School
- 2013 – Vanessa Shepherd, Wellington Elementary School
- 2012 – Grace Cowan, Betsy Lane High School
- 2011 – Megan Johnston, Pleasure Ridge Park High School
- 2010 – Lucas Gravitt, Scott County High School
- 2009 – not awarded
- 2008 – Alice Barrette, East Jessamine High School
- 2007 – Megan Iranpour, Lexington Catholic High School
- 2006 – not awarded
- 2005 – Adriana Melnyk, Newport High School
This award recognizes a school administrator who has demonstrated exemplary support of world language learning and teaching at his/her institution, community, or in the state.
- 2023 –Brian Ford, Wayne County Public Schools
- 2022 – Jeremy Renner, Jefferson County Public Schools
- 2021 – Andrew Terry, Anchorage Independent Public School
- 2020 – Stayc Dubravac, University of Kentucky
- 2019 – Carrie Wheeler, UK Confucius Institute
- 2018 – not awarded
- 2017 – Mark Leet, Owingsville Elementary School
- 2016 – Greg Roush, Western Hills High School
- 2015 – Julie Clark, Daviess County Public Schools
- 2014 – not awarded
- 2013 – Jaynae Boateng, Carter G. Woodson Academy
- 2012 – not awarded
- 2011 – John Millay, Superintendent, Cloverport Independent Schools
- 2010 – Stu Silberman, Superintendent – Fayette County Public Schools
- 2009 – Charles Mitchell, Superintendent – Menifee Co. Public Schools & Melissa Wainwright, Principal – Frankfort High School
- 2008 – Lu Young, Superintendent – Jessamine County Public Schools
- 2007 – Roger Marcum, Superintendent – Marion County Public Schools and Janice Lantz, Superintendent – Nelseon County Public Schools
- 2006 – Milton Grimes, Kentucky Institute for International Studies
- 2005 – John Hudson, Principal – Atherton High School
This award recognizes an individual of the world language teaching profession who has demonstrated long-term achievement and service to KWLA and to the profession – locally, statewide, regionally, and/or nationally.
- 2023 – Laura Rochè Youngworth, Fayette County Public Schools
- 2022 – Pam Caudill, Thomas More University
- 2021 – Linda Worley, University of Kentucky
- 2020 – Laura McGee, Western Kentucky University
- 2019 – Sharon Mattingly, Barren County High School
- 2018 – Maureen Motsinger, Scott High School
- 2017 – Theodore Fiedler, University of Kentucky
- 2016 – not awarded
- 2015 – Terri Coke, Daviess County High School
- 2014 – Cathy Scaife, Lexington Catholic High School
- 2013 – Judith Conde, Western Hills High School
- 2012 – Jean Dudgeon, Elizabethtown Community College
- 2011 – Jacque Bott Van Houten, Kentucky Department of Education
- 2010 – John Secor, Morehead State University
- 2009 – Joan Jahnige, Kentucky Educational Television
- 2008 – Jean Amick, Kentucky Country Day & Mimi Hagedorn, Bishop Brossart High School
- 2007 – Estelle Bayer, Madison Central High School
- 2006 – Milton Grimes, Murray State University
- 2005 – Linda Pickle, Western Kentucky University
- 2004 – not awarded
- 2003 – Mary Jo Netherton, Morehead State University
- 2002 – Ruth Styles, Kentucky Educational Television
- 2001 – Rosemary Weddington, Berea High School & EKU
- 1999 – Jacquie Spurlock, Eastern Kentucky University
- 1998 – Thomas P. Baldwin, Western Kentucky University
This award (pronounced “ah mee kee leen gwah room”) recognizes an individuals and/or organizations, who may pertain to the realm of education or not, and that are not directly involved in the teaching of world languages, for their significant contributions to the profession.
- 2023 – Virginia Moore, KY Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- 2022 – Karina Barillas, La Casita Center
- 2021 – Dr. Jason Glass, KY Commissioner of Education
- 2021 – Dr. Marta Miranda-Straub, Dept. of Community Based Services
- 2020- Language Access Team, Governor Beshear’s administration
- 2019 – World Affairs Council of Kentucky & Southern Indiana
- 2018 – Lynn Fors, Access Language Solutions
- 2017 – Dr. Michael Dailey, Fayette County Public Schools
- 2016 – Brandi Larkey, High Marks Center, Lexington Catholic High School
- 2015 – Valerie Hendley, Fun with Languages
- 2014 – Dr. Huajing Maske, Confucius Institute, University of Kentucky
- 2013 – not awarded
- 2012 – Fayette County Board of Education
- 2011 – Kentucky Board of Education
- 2010 – Representative Ben Chandler, Kentucky (6th District)
- 2009 – not awarded
- 2008 – Margo Jang, Festival Director – Northern Kentucky Univ.
- 2007 – not awarded
- 2006 – Elaine Jarchow, Dean of Education – Northern Kentucky Univ.
- 2005 – Peter Fricke, Tente International GmbH
Thank you! Merci! ¡Gracias! Gratias! Danke! 謝謝 ! ありがとう !
NOTICE: The KWLA Awards Committee in consultation with the Executive Board may elect to not present an award in any of the categories mentioned above for a given year.