PSMLA
2005 OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING
WORLD LANGUAGE STUDENT AWARDS



1st place: Amanda Wile, Fairfield High School, Fairfield (Nominating teacher - Ann Johnston)

Amanda has studied Spanish for six years and French for four years. She served as Vice President of the Foreign Language Club and helped to generate ideas for promoting the club and languages in general. In particular, Amanda was responsible for designing and implementing an after-school French and Spanish language program for middle school students. She persuaded the administration to approve her plan, recruited upper-level French and Spanish students to teach the middle-school children, and created the curriculum, with actual lesson plans in both languages. In addition to monitoring the overall program, Amanda taught one of the Spanish classes. Amanda will continue her study of French and Spanish in college and she plans to teach foreign language at the high school or college level.


2nd place: Alexandra L. Mitic, Pocono Mountain East High School, Swiftwater (Nominating teacher - Diane Romspert)

Alexandra has studied Spanish through AP Level. She served as President of La Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica during the chapter's first year, and she helped the chapter to develop its program. She instituted committees, created application forms, ran meetings, organized a contest to do the art for the parent invitation and conducted the new initiation ceremony (all in Spanish). In addition, Alexandra has taught Spanish to elementary students as part of her Child Development studies. Besides Spanish, Alexandra plans to become fluent in Czech, Yugoslavian, German and French. She will become an elementary school teacher and will share her passion for foreign language with her students.


3rd place: Julie Gallagher, Hampton High School, Allison Park (Nominating teachers - Janet A. Konig and Harryl L. Schwartz)

Julie has studied Spanish for five years and French for three years. She was a dedicated member of both the French and Spanish clubs, joining committees and working hard to support all club activities. She volunteered to tutor students who needed additional help with their language studies. Julie worked tirelessly to ensure that the school's World language Night was a huge success, and she designed the 2005 Year of Languages T-shirt that students wore to that event. Julie will major in Spanish at the University of Pittsburgh, where she will also study Portuguese and French. Julie plans to eventually earn a Masters Degree in Secondary Education from the School of Education at Pitt. Her dream is to teach the wonders of foreign language to young people.

Honorable mentions:
Yunxue Xu, Wissahickon High School, Ambler (Nominating teacher - Patricia L. Stewart

Shereen Graham, Penn-Trafford High School, Harrison City (Nominating teacher - Cristy Rizzardi)

Kara Stang, Hershey High School, Hershey (Nominating teacher - Teresa M. Navarro-Govelovich)

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Outstanding High School Graduating World Language Student 2006
Allison K. Brown, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn Grove
(Nominating teacher – Karen Snyder)

Allison is a fourth year Spanish student. She is a member of Kennard-Dale High School's Foreign Language Club, and she was selected as a member of the Spanish Honor Society. As a member of the Spanish Honor Society, Allison participates extensively in service projects that support the New Hope Children's Home in Guatemala. She was elected to serve as the society's Historian during her senior year. Allison plays an active role in the elementary Spanish enrichment program, giving her an opportunity to share her Spanish skills with younger children. She also volunteers at York Hospital where she works with Hispanic children in the Child Care Center/Community Health Center. Allison plans to minor in Spanish while she pursues her dream of being a pediatrician.