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TEC Student of the Month Award

March 2016 - Daniel Morgan & Jess Youngberg

A couple whose dream of travel has motivated them to expand their Spanish skills, Daniel and Jess’ impressive dedication to their studies at Tierra has merited a double-nomination! Extremely diligent students, they both attend class with extraordinary consistency and make completing all assignments a high priority; they come to their respective classes ready to ask questions and build a solid understanding of the concepts studied.  As they aspire to spend a significant amount of time traveling and perhaps living in Latin America, their genuine interest motivates them to soak in cultural knowledge as they sharpen their language skills. We honor Jess and Daniel’s hard work and look forward to watching them turn their dreams into reality!

February 2016 - Eduardo McLean

 

A hard-working and focused student, Eduardo has achieved great success since beginning his studies at Tierra. Originally from Panama, he moved to the U.S. as a child and is now working to recuperate his first language, particularly so that he can communicate with the many members of his family who still live there. Often enrolling in two simultaneous once-weekly courses, Eduardo is a notably dedicated student who makes a great effort at every step along his learning journey. Patient and kind, Eduardo is a valued member of our community and we look forward to seeing him continue to remaster the language of his youth and deepen his connection with his family and heritage.
 

January 2016 - Marjorie Taylor


With her joyful, easy-going approach to learning Spanish, Marjorie is a case in point that attitude means everything when it comes to learning a foreign language. In the nearly two years that she's studied at Tierra, she's achieved great progress through her diligent dedication to her studies, willingness to take on challenges, and embrace of building skills one step at a time. Kind and encouraging, Marjorie's notable patience with herself and with her classmates inspires those who study with her to let go of the fear of making mistakes and enjoy the learning process to the fullest. As her main motivation is her eagerness to travel, we look forward to seeing Marjorie turn her dreams into reality and use her Spanish skills abroad!

 

December 2015 - Andrew Swan


With his affable nature and penchant for humor, Andrew’s participation in Spanish class helps to create a fun learning environment, full of laughter and camaraderie. A notably dedicated student, he began at Tierra in our Beginner Review & Practice level and, through serious commitment to his twice-weekly courses, has advanced to become a Higher Intermediate student in less than a year! Always present, always on time, and always extra-prepared, Andrew ekes time out of his busy schedule to take advantage of his Spanish studies to the fullest. With dreams of extended travel, we’re certain his impressive progress is only the beginning of a Spanish-learning journey that will take him far!

November 2015 - Erin Holroyd


With an attitude as positive as they come and boundless motivation, Erin’s joy of learning is truly contagious. Inspired to study Spanish by her travels to Mexico, her sincere interest in Latin American culture and making connections with native Spanish speakers have driven her to make swift progress in her studies and take advantage of every opportunity to practice. A meticulous, detail-oriented student, Erin is determined to attain a solid understanding of every structure studied and dedicated to spending time outside of class building her skills. Her warmth, humor, and extraordinary patience with herself and others render her a pleasure to teach and a sterling companion to her classmates. We are thrilled to have Erin as a student at Tierra and excited to watch her follow her dreams wherever they may lead!

October 2015 - Candace Jensen


Spunky and fun, Candace’s refreshing approach to life and language learning boosts the spirits of everyone around her. Her tremendous dedication and commitment have paid off as she’s taken leaps and bounds in her Spanish abilities in under two years. Having completed her university studies in German, Candace’s appreciation of language and culture runs deep and she relishes opportunities to attend concerts, plays, and other cultural events in Spanish. The versatility she’s gained by wearing many hats in her professional life and exploring a wide range of interests from gardening and vegan baking to playing the piano surely informs her supportive attitude as a classmate. We’re grateful to count Candace as part of our community at Tierra!

 

September 2015 - Shawn Barkdull

 

Through impressive devotion to her twice-weekly Spanish classes, Shawn has made astounding progress in under a year. Inspired to learn the language by her love of travel, crossing Spain from north to south fired up her passion to study Spanish and she's since enjoyed practicing her burgeoning skills on a trip to Mexico City, Puebla, and Oaxaca. With a quick wit and kind heart, Shawn is a gem of student, helping to stimulate real, intelligent conversation in Spanish and create a supportive atmosphere where it's safe to make mistakes. We look forward to seeing Shawn continue to zoom toward fluency and explore all the foreign lands she can dream of.

August 2015 - Mary Ellen Hamilton

With joyful determination, Mary Ellen has transformed herself into a Spanish speaker in just under two years! Having started out in our Beginner 1 course, her incredible drive has fueled her swift progress which is an inspiration to classmates and instructors alike. Her passion for learning is contagious, as is her kindness, generosity, and infinite patience, attributes which help to create a welcoming and supportive atmosphere in any class she joins. Since beginning her studies, she’s had the opportunity to travel to Spain and Mexico and to volunteer in Nicaragua, milking her experiences abroad to the fullest in her pursuit of authentic connection and deep cultural understanding. We are grateful for Mary Ellen’s continued dedication to her Spanish learning journey and look forward to continuing to watch her achieve her lofty goals.

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