You are here

TEC Student of the Month Award

June 2017 - Ken Houseman

Deeply committed to his Spanish studies, Ken has made his classes at Tierra a top priority, often enrolling in two courses simultaneously. Perhaps his background in computer science and business inform his focused and methodological approach, one which is lightened with an infectious sense of humor and an invariably positive attitude. Inspired to learn Spanish in part to honor his partner’s family of Mexican heritage, Ken is also passionate about travel and has visited many Spanish-speaking countries, most recently, Cuba. He revels in the social aspect of small-group classes, building strong connections with his classmates and helping to create a truly supportive and dynamic atmosphere. We are delighted to count Ken as part of our community at Tierra and look forward to continuing to see him race toward his fluency goals!

 

May 2017 - Carynne Drake

Carynne Drake
With bubbly, joyful energy and endless enthusiasm for learning Spanish, Carynne lights up the room and contributes to creating a positive class dynamic in any group she’s in. Notably dedicated to her studies, Carynne has been taking classes at Tierra for nearly three years and has improved her Spanish skills by leaps and bounds in that time. Reporting that Spanish class is her “me time” amid a busy life caring for her three young children, she places great value in the community aspect of group classes and builds mutually supportive relationships with her classmates. Highly inquisitive and eager to widen her cultural knowledge, her reflections and questions often help bring group discussions deeper into the subject at hand and enrich the interaction for all. We’re grateful to have Carynne as part of our community at Tierra and look forward to seeing her continue to blossom as a Spanish-speaker!

 

April 2017 - Vanora St. Clair


With a genuine love of learning for learning’s sake, Vanora’s delight in studying Spanish readily spreads to those in her presence. A former psychology teacher, she is now a mindfulness meditation instructor. Her dedication to cultivating mindfulness manifests itself in her interactions at Tierra, where she is an especially kind and compassionate classmate, and a role-model who maintains a profoundly positive attitude throughout the process of building language skills. Growing up in Hawaii, Japan, and the East and West coasts of the U.S. fostered a respect for diverse cultures within her, and she became an adventurous spirit who has enjoyed travels near and far. An avid reader, explorer of the great outdoors, and dog-lover, Vanora’s taken on her new passion for the Spanish language and cultural world with zest, and we are grateful to have her as a valued member of our community!

 

March 2017 - Robert Dismukes


With a stellar attitude and warm smile, Robert’s great enthusiasm for learning Spanish is contagious. An exceptionally committed student since Winter 2015, he rarely misses a class and puts in significant time working on his skills at home. He is a gracious and kind classmate, helping to create a welcoming, amiable environment. Eager to immerse himself in Spanish, Robert has enjoyed time studying in Mexico and takes every chance he can to practice his language skills and befriend native speakers. His willingness to take on challenges and make mistakes illustrates his humility and patience - qualities that are a great boon in the quest to learn a foreign language. We are grateful for Robert’s contributions to our community at Tierra and proud to witness his impressive progress.

February 2017 - Tatyana Dembrow


Genuine and kind, Tatyana infuses the classroom with positive energy. Having started in our Beginner 1 class just one year ago, she’s taken on learning Spanish with dedicated fervor and clearly relishes the learning process. A family nurse practitioner, her desire to best serve her patients was part of the inspiration to set out on the journey to learn Spanish. Another of Tatyana’s passions is Africa: she discovered her interest in public health while studying abroad in Dakar Senegal and working in a neighborhood health clinic. Her family helped found the Cascade Festival of African Films, now in it’s 27th year, and she currently serves as its volunteer coordinator. The festival  is running now through March 4th, check out the amazing program! We’re thrilled to have Tatyana as part of our community at Tierra and look forward to continuing to see the fruits of her hard work!

January 2017 - Lynn Thompson

Lynn Thompson
Lynn's impressive dedication to her Spanish studies stems from her wholehearted passion for social justice which has guided her career and life for decades. With a background in social work, she is a dynamic leader who has directed many organizations that serve women and children, including family crisis centers and Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Deeply interested in culture, literature, travel and history, her contributions to group conversations are thoughtful and highly stimulating. Lynn truly enjoys the process of learning Spanish, unbridled by worries of making mistakes, and builds strong relationships with her classmates and instructors. We are honored to count Lynn as part of our community at Tierra, and proud of the great work she does!

December 2016 - Liz Johnston


Bursting with enthusiasm for learning Spanish, Liz arrives for her classes with arms waving, a wide smile, and a cheery “¡Hola!”. Genuine and kind, she makes a pointed effort to get to know and practice with all of her classmates, warmly contributing to the feeling of camaraderie fomented in small-group classes. She’s hardworking and tenacious, never giving up as she rides the waves of feeling excited and challenged in the learning process. Joining us for our community fiestas, Liz quickly integrated herself as part of the Tierra community and is always eager to lend a helping hand. We’re grateful to have Liz as a dedicated Tierra student, and look forward to continuing to see her jump the hurdles of building Spanish skills!

 

October 2016 - Laura Graser


With great focus and commitment, Laura has built up her Spanish skills and taken advantage of every opportunity to delve into cultural learning in her two years studying at Tierra. A lawyer by profession, her desire to best serve and understand her Spanish-speaking clients was one impetus for her to pursue a higher level of proficiency in Spanish. Also inspired by her fondness of travel and eagerness to have authentic exchanges with locals, in her most recent adventure abroad this summer she spent several weeks studying Spanish in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. A highly motivated student with a quenchless appetite for reading in Spanish, she has no fear of the limits of her own understanding and pushes towards ever-deeper comprehension. We're thankful to have Laura as part of our community at Tierra, and look forward to seeing where her quest for fluency takes her!

Pages

Subscribe to TEC Student of the Month Award