TEC Student of the Month Award

A kind and spirited woman, full of curiosity, while Gretchen is a student at Tierra, she has much to teach us. Initially drawn to learn Spanish by her passion for tango dancing, she pursued her studies (of the language and the dance) in many trips to Argentina where she developed a nuanced understanding of both topics. Upon moving to Portland, she quickly became a part of Tierra and made every effort to continue sharpening her skills, complementing group classes with individual private lessons and frequently gracing us with her presence at our holiday fiestas. Her remarkable generosity and insatiable thirst for learning are truly inspiring; one would be hard-pressed to find a more engaged and concerned citizen. We are honored to count Gretchen as part of our community and wish her and all of our students a healthy, happy new year.

Rayner is a unique, you might even say unforgettable, student  whose humor and spontaneity bring an element of surprise to the Spanish classroom. After a long career of many careers including English professor, carpenter, and owner of a remodeling company, Rayner retired in 2007 to dedicate himself to his writing. He’s since self-published two novels and reports that his Spanish studies helped tremendously in the writing and editing process, particularly as he summoned his memories of Mexico and peppered the scenes set there with Spanish phrases and slang. Fascinated by language in all of its literary and vernacular manifestations, Rayner pushes the limits of his Spanish abilities, always seeking to express his thoughts on complex topics in an idiomatic fashion. We wish Rayner the best in his endeavors and are glad for his spirited participation in our community at Tierra!

Committed  to learning Spanish and to learning it together, Ellen and Aaron studying side by side for many months merited a double recognition. Sharing a passion for organic and sustainable agriculture, they are driven to expand their Spanish skills to be able to communicate with Spanish-speakers in their fields of fair trade and farming. In fact, they began learning Spanish while volunteering on a farm in Colombia, and the dream of travelling abroad again is the other spark that keeps them motivated. They are hard-working students who support each other in their successes and hurdles and are on the path to achieving their ambitious learning goals. Genuine and kind, through their example Ellen and Aaron inspire us to live by our ideals and pursue our goals with joyful determination.