TEC Student of the Month Award

An enthusiastic and focused student with an ever-growing passion for Spanish and Latin America, Kate sets the bar high for her own achievement goals and takes advantage of class time to the fullest. For her, learning Spanish is a family effort as both of her children also study Spanish and share with their mother an appreciation of cultural immersion and desire to volunteer and make a positive difference at home and during trips abroad. Of late, they’ve been busy preparing for their trip to Nicaragua this summer which will include Spanish study and community service work.  Kate has also included her children in her experience at Tierra,  frequently participating together in our community fiesta events and enrolling her daughter in Spanish classes. Kate’s example of whole-family education and involvement in community-building and social change is a true inspiration and wonderful illustration of the doors language study can open.

Possessing a infectiously sunny attitude, Ann approaches perfecting her Spanish skills with inexhaustible determination and curiosity. Her story is an inspiring one: after a decades-long career as a successful engineer, she decided she wanted to shift gears and do something that would give back to the community and particularly help Spanish-speaking youth. She chose the field of education and this year has been learning the ropes of public schooling as a tutor in math and science for students who are not native English-speakers. Open and honest, Ann’s willingness to share anecdotes and opinions in the name of Spanish practice contribute to making class a deeper and more enriching experience for all. We honor Ann and people like her who feel so called to a particular mission that they take risks and make sacrifices to make it happen.

A committed student with a stellar attitude, Cole’s presence charges the classroom with positive vibes. A pastor at a local church, he was inspired to acquire Spanish language skills by the desire to communicate and connect with Spanish-speaking congregants and neighbors. A fan of our twice-weekly intensive courses, he has impressively advanced from the Beginner 3 level to High Intermediate courses in less than one year of classes at Tierra. Cole’s creative approach to learning has manifested itself in countless ways, from instructing his classmates how to decorate calaveras for Día de Muertos (when they were practicing giving commands) to composing and performing a rap about the process of learning Spanish with his teacher and classmates. This New Year we want to express our gratitude to Cole and to all of our students for you are the lifeblood of the school who make Tierra a dynamic and stimulating community!