MEADFellowshipDescription

Congrats to 2007 Mead Fellow Natalie L. Puhala!

The Mead Leadership Fellows Program administered by the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL) is a program designed to develop and support future leaders in the profession of foreign language education. Teachers who have demonstrated leadership qualities may apply and those selected receive an outstanding professional opportunity from the Northeast Conference. To apply for the fellowship, teachers submit a proposed plan of action for a project that demonstrates leadership in the field. If they earn a fellowship, not only are the teachers then sponsored by the conference to attend at no cost, but they are also invited to attend specially designed leadership workshops. In addition, all Mead Fellows receive the support of a mentor during the development of the project.

Each state organization in the region may select and nominate one teacher for a Mead Fellowship. This year the selection committee of PSMLA voted to recommend Natalie L Puhala to the Northeast Conference and she was selected as a 2007 Mead Fellow. As a teacher of Spanish, Ms. Puhala has guided her students to learn about Central America and through a project that was funded by a mini-grant from the Gateway Foundation. Her Mead project will include forming a collaboration of local Spanish teachers to work together to support Friendship Bridge . She would like for her group to be a model for other World Language teachers to follow for implementing a community service project.

The Pennsylvania State Modern Language Association looks forward to the development of Natalie's project. She will present the final product at the 2008 PSMLA Conference in Pittsburgh and also at the 2008 Northeast Conference. Congratulations!

To learn more about the fellowship, visit http://omega.dickinson.edu/nectfl/.

Congrats to 2006 Mead Fellow Stephanie Anne Keebler!

The Mead Leadership Fellows Program administered by the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL) is a program designed to develop and support future leaders in the profession of foreign language education. Teachers who have demonstrated leadership qualities may apply and those selected receive an outstanding professional opportunity from the Northeast Conference. To apply for the fellowship, teachers submit a proposed plan of action for a project that demonstrates leadership in the field. If they earn a fellowship, not only are the teachers then sponsored by the conference to attend at no cost, but they are also invited to attend specially designed leadership workshops. In addition, all Mead Fellows receive the support of a mentor during the development of the project.

Each state organization in the region may select and nominate one teacher for a Mead Fellowship. This year the selection committee of PSMLA voted to recommend Stephanie Anne Keebler of the Clarion Area School District to the Northeast Conference and she was selected as a 2006 Mead Fellow. As an elementary Spanish and ESL teacher, Ms. Keebler has identified the need for new foreign language teachers to be trained in elementary foreign language curriculum and strategies for instruction due to the fact that the Pennsylvania State Certification is a kindergarten through grade twelve certification. She plans to develop a program in coordination with Clarion University of Pennsylvania to accomplish this task.

The Pennsylvania State Modern Language Association looks forward to the development of Stephanie's project. She will present the final product at the 2006 PSMLA Conference in Erie and again at the 2007 Northeast Conference. Congratulations!

To learn more about the fellowship, visit http://omega.dickinson.edu/nectfl/.