TEC Student of the Month Award

Wholly committed to his twice-weekly morning class for the past two years, William, who goes by “Memo” around Tierra, is a gem of a student. Brimming with enthusiasm for learning Spanish, his skills have bloomed during his time studying with us and his steadfast perseverance has paid off. Having retired from his career as a project engineer, he dedicates a significant amount of time outside of class to his inquiry into the Spanish language. A genuinely warm and generous soul, Memo is a thoughtful and sensitive classmate who always seeks to take care of his compañeros. Passionate about effecting positive change, he is deeply concerned about climate change and dreams of using his Spanish skills to connect with hispanic communities and discover solutions together. We are grateful to count Memo as one of our valued students at Tierra and look forward to seeing where his hard work will take him!

A student who puts great effort into her Spanish studies, Becky has been extremely committed to her twice-weekly morning classes for over a year and a half. She arrives early, ready-to-go, brings kindness and laughter to the classroom, forms strong connections with her compañeros, and makes a significant investment of time studying on her own and completing class assignments with creativity and thoughtfulness.  A master gardener, a discussion with Becky often begets new plant vocabulary, and she is generous in sharing the bounty of her harvest with appreciative classmates. The same patience, curiosity, and inner strength that bring her great success in the garden inform her attitude as a student of Spanish - she is perseverant and at peace with her learning process, whatever challenges it may bring. We are delighted to have Becky as party of our community at Tierra and look forward to continuing to marvel at the fruits of her labor.

An extraordinarily dedicated student whose passion for everything she does is inspiring, Azure has achieved great progress in her time at Tierra. Her strong interest in cultural learning has provided fuel in her quest to learn Spanish and she’s eagerly taken as many cultural immersion courses as she can. Through her thoughtful analysis of the topics being discussed, she brings depth and reflection to the classroom, enriching the experience for all present. In her work as a middle school teacher, Azure is able to harness her increased cultural awareness in order to better serve her students and transmit this consciousness to them. A kind and compassionate classmate, she often encourages others and helps make Tierra feel like a community.  We salute Azure and all educators who work so hard to give young people the tools and knowledge they need to thrive - we wish you all a wonderful Summer break!