TEC Student of the Month Award

As a compassionate and committed nurse, Katherine was motivated to begin studying Spanish by her desire to build bridges and communicate with Spanish-speaking patients. Endowed with great tenacity and abundant enthusiasm, she has shown true passion and determination in her dedication to learning. She exudes excitement about the Spanish language and Latin American culture, often arriving with humorous anecdotes or glee at having dreamt in Spanish. Kind and generous, Katherine possesses the kind of community-based orientation that we at Tierra applaud and hope to nurture.

With a big smile and bubbly enthusiasm, Becky brings joy and purpose to the classroom. A truly community-oriented vision fuels her dedication to learn Spanish in both her professional life, as a public school teacher who goes beyond expectations to form a conversation club with Spanish-speaking mothers of her students, and in her personal life as a seasoned international traveler and volunteer. An adventurous spirit, she has troves of experience and a knack for hilarious storytelling. Becky's passion and community work serve as a wonderful example of what we at Tierra hope to foster and an inspiration to find more ways to get involved.

Always enthusiastic and a consistent force within the classroom dynamic, her community-oriented disposition exemplifies what we aim to nurture here at Tierra. Her eagerness to learn and grow through human interaction is contagious and extends well beyond our walls, to the church where she works, serving her community. On a mission to attain fluency before her return to Mexico as a social servant, she’s cranked her hours at Tierra up to 5 per week and seems to have fun like none other dissecting each and every exercise in the books! Perhaps due to her love for language and her awareness of the potential for humor in the study of grammar, Teresa is a priceless asset and a living example of why we place our faith in the cross-cultural approach to language acquirement and personal growth.