Here is a message from our 2006 winner, Kate Slatcoff: 

My name is Kate Slatcoff, and I am a Spanish I and II teacher in theIndiana Area School District. I am originally from Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Thiel College in Greenville, PA, in 2003 with a degree in Spanish Education and Elementary Education. While at Thiel I was able to study abroad in Queretaro, Mexico andValencia, Spain. Upon graduating I accepted a position as a seventh grade English and Spanish teacher in the Pottsville School District. After a year, I moved closer to home to teach all level of high school Spanish in the Conneaut School District. During this time I was the head cross country coach and Spanish Club Advisor. I finished my Masters in Education with specialization in Reading at Edinboro University in August of 2006.

At the end of the 2006 school year I moved to Indiana, PA, and accepted a job teaching my favorite levels of Spanish; Spanish I and II. I enjoy working close to Indiana University of Pennsylvania because of the great opportunities afforded to our high school students through the college. During my free time I enjoy biking the trails around the area, traveling to new places, sampling new foods, and reading.

Because I have spent the last three years focusing on my graduate work in education, I am very excited to have the opportunity to begin to improve my Spanish by traveling to Cuernavaca and studying at the Cemanahuac Institute. Because I have spent the majority of my time abroad in Spai , I am delighted to have the opportunity to learn more about the Mexican people and culture through this scholarship!

Thanks again,
Kate

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" I recently returned home from studying for three weeks at Cemanahuac, and then traveling to Acapulco and Mexico City on my own, and I want to once again thank you as well as the PSMLA scholarship committee for choosing me to travel to Cuernavaca to practice my Spanish and to learn more about the culture, history, and current events in this region of Mexico. I also want to thank you for choosing such a fantastic place for the scholarship recipient to visit. I have already e-mailed the directors at Cemanahuac to let them know much I enjoyed my stay in Cuernacava, but I want to fill you in on what I thought as well.



Although I had done some research before traveling to Cuernavaca, for some reason I thought that the city would be smaller than it actually is. Upon arriving, I was excited to learn that Cuernavaca is a modern city that still houses many historical places of interest. Not only could you spend a full three weeks exploring places such as the Palacio de Cortes, Jardin Borda, Chapultapec Park, Salto de San Anton, Catedral de la Asuncion, Museo Robert Brady, and Taller Siqueiros, but during my short stay I also learned that the people here are some of the most helpful and caring that I have met thus far in my travels.



While in Cuernacaca I lived with Blanca, Ricardo, Rikki, and Rebeca Gutierrez in their home in Las Palmas. Blanca and Ricardo took me, as well as my other three American roommates under their wing, treating us like we were members of their family.



Not only were our meals fantastic and representative of traditional meals in Cuernavaca, our room was kept spotless, and the family encouraged us to practice our Spanish and what we had learned in school whenever possible. I loved how they got excited right along with us when we were able to use a new word or tense correctly. While eating breakfast on numerous occasions, Ricardo would search websites for places of interest in Cuernavaca and their schedules so that we would be able to maximize our time seeing the treasures within. One of my favorite memories from Cuernavaca was when my roommate Kelsey and I wanted to see a Lucha Libre match but didn't want to go alone. To make sure were able to experience this event, Ricardo and the kids went along with us to keep us company and to describe what was happening in the ring.



In regards to the classes I was able to take at the school, I thought that the oral and written placement process was a good way to ensure the students would be in classes with others on their same level. The teachers that I worked with were very knowledgeable and helpful, even incorporating topics that we wanted to know more about into the curriculum and taking our classes on field trips around town so that we could practice our Spanish in real life situations. I also liked how the class sizes were small, with no more than five students in a class, so that everyone would be able to ask questions and have the opportunity to practice using the language.



Along with the classes, I thought that the school did a fantastic job offering trips to nearby cities and surrounding places of interest for a reasonable fee. Some of the side trips I was able to take with the school included: a trip to see the ruins including an underground observatory at Xochicalco; a small set of ruins at the top of a very steep hill, a large market, and a monastery in Tepoztlan; a dinner trip to Hacienda de Cortes; a trip to see the Templo Mayor and Anthropolgical Museum, Bellas Artes Museum, and the Government Palace where Diego Rivera's Murals are housed; and a trip to Mexico to see the ruins at Teotihuacan. Although all of the tour guides did a great job, I must say that my favorite was Charlie Goff. His knowledge about the places we visited really helped to bring these places to life. Because of his enthusiasm, I returned from each trip excited to research more about these places and to share what I learned with my students.



Since there were numerous bus stations around the city, my roommates and I utilized this means of transportation to take side trips on our own. During the weekends and after class were able to visit: the site of the battle of "Cinco de Mayo" in Puebla and a few of the 365 churches in Cholula, as well as the famous cathedral in Taxco and Las Grutas de Cacahuamilpa. We were also able to enjoy one of the huge water parks or Balinarios called "El Rollo" outside of Cuernavaca in Johutla. At the end of my stay we traveled to Acapulco for two days before I departed on my own to spend two days in Mexico City.



As a final observation, from the secretary at the front desk to the guards at the gate, everyone that I talked to about the school really loves their job and what the school has to offer those traveling to Cemanahuac. This feeling of enjoyment definitely rubbed off on me, and even though I have not been home for long, I know that this lovely little school will always have a place in my heart.



Although I didn't know much about Cuernavaca, or the Cemanahuac Institute before coming here, I am animated to share my experiences with everyone I come in contact. Aside from talking with my friends, family, and colleagues about what I have learned, I am excited to promote Cemanahuac in The Forum and to speak about the opportunities that can be found at Cemanahuac at the PSMLA Conference in Philadelphia. Thank you so much once again for providing me with this very educational and enjoyable opportunity!



Sincerely,



Kate Slatcoff"