2026 Spring Voice

Volume 53 Number 1The VOICE ofWAFLTSpring 2026

The VOICE of WAFLT 1Table of ContentsWAFLT Executive Board Contact Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2From Your President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrea Behn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3WAFLT 2026 Fall Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Ferguson & Kara Torkelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Central States Extension Workshop: Building Intercultural Communication Skills Using Authentic Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hannah Brockman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Celebrating Student Voices in World Languages: WAFLT’s Post Card Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Devin Pettys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72025 Awards and Grants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jolene Wochenske . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Distinguished Language Educator Award Acceptance Speech . . . . . . . Melanie Lasee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15WAFLT Annual Business Meeting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162025-2026 Contributors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Affiliate Organization NewslettersThe National Network for Early Language Learning - NNELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Wisconsin Association of Teachers of Japanese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Wisconsin Association of Chinese Language Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24American Association of Teachers of French - Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24American Association of Teachers of German - Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Wisconsin Latin Teachers Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25WAFLT Mission: The purpose of WAFLT shall be to promote, strengthen, and facilitate the teachingand life-long learning of world languages and cultures in schools and communitiesto meet the needs of our increasingly interdependent world.

2 The VOICE of WAFLTThe VOICE of WAFLT appears twice annually, in the spring and fall, withcopy deadlines of January 1 and June 1. Manuscripts describing worldlanguage pedagogy as well as study and travel opportunities andexperiences are always welcome, and, if accepted, generally will appearin the next issue. Submissions for publication should be saved as aGoogle document or Microsoft Word document and sent to this LINK.Photos or graphics can also be uploaded to this link in a .jpg format.WAFLT Executive Board & Contacts for Wisconsin Association For Language TeachersPresidentAndrea BehnParker High School, [email protected]/Awards ChairJolene WochenskeOregon High [email protected] CarterOnalaska High [email protected] SheaCraig High School, [email protected] RiedelWaterford Graded School [email protected] International Education/World Languages ConsultantOpenNNELL Co-RepresentativesJosh LeGreveGreen Lake School [email protected] Al-MsaibeehUniversity School of [email protected] Committee ChairCathy [email protected] VisionsJosh LeGreveGreen Lake [email protected] Committee ChairLinda HavasGreendale [email protected] Conference ProgramCommittee Co-ChairsKara TorkelsonWausau West High SchoolKelly FergusonLaFollette High [email protected] Arrangements/ExhibitsLeah [email protected] & Body MarketMelanie [email protected] &Publications ChairLauren RosenUniversity of [email protected] VOICE of WAFLTSubcommittee Chair/EditorKaty DueppenMiddleton High [email protected] Subcommittee ChairKara TorkelsonWausau West High [email protected] SubcommitteeChairJosh LeGreveGreen Lake School [email protected]/AdvocacyNational ChairPablo [email protected] ChairJoslyn HegelmeyerBrookfield East High [email protected] Languages ContestCoordinatorDevin PettysOnalaska [email protected] & ScholarshipsBobbette [email protected] Development ChairJamie GurholtMKE Alliance & CommunityFoundation of Southern [email protected] Guests Subcommittee ChairDanielle ChausseeOconomowoc High [email protected] Institute Co-ChairsIva McLeanGoodland Montessori School/RedApple [email protected] BrockmanLaconia High [email protected] Training CoordinatorJodi Reif ZiemannWaupun High [email protected]/Virtual PDJulie HorvathBeloit Memorial High [email protected] AssociationRepresentativesAATF-WI PresidentAllie [email protected] PresidentDavid [email protected] PresidentYoshiro [email protected] Co-PresidentsNate KolpinWauwatosa School [email protected] SchleefFox Valley Lutheran High [email protected] PresidentDaisy RothSt. Mary Catholic High [email protected] Interim President Alix MaddenPittsville High [email protected]

The VOICE of WAFLT 3Andrea BehnFrom Your President ...Keep GoingI really struggled with what towrite for this edition of The Voice. Iwish funding for world languages wasabundant. I wish our communities trulyvalued language and culture. I wishmore of our energy could be spent oncreative, engaging lessons ourstudents would remember long afterthey leave our classrooms.But that’s not where many of us areright now.Our students who choose to studylanguage and culture are getting morethan vocabulary and grammar. Theyare watching us navigate uncertainty.They see us advocate for ourprograms, adjust when things change,and keep showing up even when itfeels hard. Whether we realize it ornot, we’re modeling persistence,professionalism, and care.There is a lot that feels out of ourcontrol, like enrollment numbers,funding decisions, shifting priorities.That is exhausting. But what is still inour control is how we show up forstudents and for each other, therelationships we build, the smallmoments that make students feelseen, and the quiet impact of helpingsomeone communicate in a new way.This work still matters. Even when itfeels invisible. Even when it feels uphill.WAFLT exists because none of usshould be doing this alone. Ourcommunity is a place to share ideas,ask hard questions, celebrate wins(even small ones), and remindourselves why we chose thisprofession in the first place.So if things feel heavy, you’re notalone. If you’re tired, that makessense. And if you’re wonderingwhether what you’re doing isenough—it is.Keep going. Your students arelearning more from you than you mayever know. Warmly, Andrea BehnProfessional Development OpportunitiesWisconsin Association For Language Teachers (WAFLT) Fall ConferenceNovember 6-7, 2026 | Information: waflt.orgAmerican Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) ConferenceNovember 20-22, 2026, San Antonio, TX | Information: actfl.orgFLESFESTFebruary 2027 | Information: wi-nell.orgCentral States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign LanguagesMarch 11-13, 2026, Lansing, MI | Information: csctfl.orgJoin a Language Leadership Listserv: [email protected] Your Language Association: Go to waflt.org/about-waflt/language-associations for a list of allorganizations. Reach out to learn how to join their listserv.

4 The VOICE of WAFLTWAFLT Fall Conference 2026 First of all, the WAFLT ProgramCommittee would like to thankeveryone that joined us at the2025 WAFLT Fall Conference. It wasa big leap of faith and a lot of work tochange the location of our conferencefor the first time in…well…forever! We chose to get back to our coremission of forwarding the cause oflanguage education by moving to aneducational space, and the feedbackhas been wonderful. Thank you fortaking that leap with us, and we hopeto build upon those changes for thiscoming year. We are already hard atwork planning for the 2026 FallConference and could not be moreexcited to share our work with you.If you were not able to attend the 2025Fall Conference, we would like topersonally invite you to join us for the2026 Fall Conference, StrongerTogether: Building CommunityThrough Languages. We will be backat Reeve Memorial Union at the UWOshkosh campus November 6-7 2026.And we have a lot of great things instore! We won’t spoil all of oursurprises, but we can let you knowthat this year will be bigger and better.Bigger exhibit hall. Better Mind andBody Market. Bigger selection ofsessions. Better workshop schedule. Speaking of which, proposals are nowopen! Please, consider sharing whatyou’ve been doing in your class. Aunit, an activity, a routine…we knowyou have something to share andinvite you to propose it. Yes, YOU! Proposals can be submitted throughthe WAFLT website. We also are thrilled to announce thatwe have secured Meredith White asour keynote speaker and presenter. Ifyou are not familiar with Meredith, sheis a high school Spanish teacher,university instructor, and instructionaltechnology coach from GwinnettCounty, GA (near Atlanta). She haswon numerous teaching awardsincluding both local and state Teacherof the Year and recently was awarethe Founder’s Award from SCOLT(Southern Conference on LanguageTeaching). She is an experiencedpresenter at the local, state, regional,and national levels, and animpassioned advocate for languages,language education, and languageteachers. Trust us, you will not want tomiss seeing what she brings toWAFLT. Meredith is an engagingpresenter and thoughtful educator whoalways presents unforgettablesessions and workshops, and herkeynote is certain to be impactful.We can’t wait to see you in Oshkosh inNovember!Kelly Ferguson & Kara TorkelsonWAFLT Conference [email protected]

The VOICE of WAFLT 5Central States Extension Workshop: Building Intercultural Communication Skills Using Authentic Resourcesby Hannah Brockman, WAFLT Lifetime MemberIjoined WAFLT in 2023 during mysenior year at Ripon College. Thatsame year, I attended my first WAFLTconference, where I presented“Teaching the Cultures of SouthernFrance.” Later that school year, Icompleted a practicum teachingexperience with the Spanish teacher atGreen Lake School District. In the2024–25 school year, I spent the firstsemester as a Student Teacher atGreen Lake, teaching French to grades7–12 during the first quarter andSpanish to grades 2–12 in the secondquarter. During the second semester, Itaught 5th and 7th grade Spanish MYPat Madison Country Day School. Thisschool year, 2025–26, I took a newposition as Spanish Teacher andMultilingual Student Advocate atLaconia High School in Rosendale.As a first-time attendee at the CentralStates Languages for All Conference, I wanted to find ways to give back toWAFLT, an organization that has beeninstrumental in my professionalgrowth. One way to do this was byattending the extension workshop andbringing ideas back to share with otherWisconsin language teachers. A keytakeaway from the workshop was theimportance of starting simple whenincorporating authentic resources.Leslie Grahn has compiled a wealth ofauthentic materials for variouslanguages, which can be accessedthrough her website. Additionally, asampling is available here and herwell-organized Pinterest boards canbe found here. A word of caution—these resources areextensive! To avoid gettingoverwhelmed, I recommend setting atimer, perhaps for an hour, and havinga clear goal in mind. When searching, Iset a 45-minute timer with smaller15-minute check-ins to ensure I stayfocused. Before I start, I write my goalon a notecard (post-its get the job done,too) beside me to keep myself on track.Organizing & Using AuthenticResources in the ClassroomWhen I collect memes or social mediaposts, I do it while students areworking on their tema eval—yes, I saytema instead of “unit” because it feelsmore connected to the thematic workwe do and less like a textbookchapter. I create a Google folder forthe upcoming tema, and inside thatfolder I have subfolders like recursos(resources), evals, rubricas, andauténtico. That last one is where Idrop the memes, social media posts,and other authentic finds I comeacross while students are deep in theircurrent tema. It’s a living folder thatgrows organically as I teach.I don’t annotate the resources rightaway. Instead, I wait until I’ve usedthem in class and then jot down whatworked well and what didn’t. That way,I can tweak things for future yearswithout over planning up front.Sometimes a meme hits perfectly as awarm-up, and other times it needsmore scaffolding—so I adjustaccordingly.If a resource is simple and intuitive, I’lluse it as a warm-up. But most of thetime, I build it into stations. Studentsmight be asked to pull out 5–7 keypieces of information from aninfographic or post, depending on thetema. These tasks are usually morechallenging than the summative evalitself, which helps build confidenceand depth before the finalassessment.For example, in Spanish 2, our firsttema is “¿Quieres ir conmigo?”—allabout invitations and activities in theSpanish-speaking world. With supportfrom Leslie Grahn (shoutout to heramazing resources and generousemail replies!), I found authenticinvites to birthday parties, moviepremieres, surfing lessons, weddings,funerals, and even casual texts like“come over” or “want to go to thegame?” Students explore these inclass, and then for their sumativa detema, they create their own invitationand activity plan in Spanish (escribirgrade). Later, they complete a hablarsummative where they respond toquestions about an invitation andactivity in Spanish.Summer Challenge: CuratingAuthentic Resources by ThemeI encourage you to take action byselecting two temas that you currentlyteach or will be teaching next year.Write them down—right now! Next toone, write “July” and next to the other,“August.” In July, challenge yourself tospend ten hours searching forauthentic materials for the first tema.

6 The VOICE of WAFLTAim to find:C 5 memes or social media postsC 7 infographicsC 3 songs, commercials, or short videosC 1 animated cartoonC 1 authentic resource aligned with theU.N. Sustainable Development GoalsTo make this process enjoyable andeffective, use different momentsthroughout the month. When you needa quick break, look at memes. Whenyou want to learn something new,explore infographics. If you need tomove around, find a song or video todance or stretch to. Searching duringtravel time is my favorite strategy—Ifeel productive even while waiting atairports or train stations.Then in August, dedicate about sevenhours to gathering resources for thesecond tema. This time, the searchshould go faster since you’ll alreadybe familiar with the folder organization. Your challenge:C 5 memes or social media postsC 4 infographicsC 3 songs, commercials, or short videosC 1 animated cartoonC 1 authentic resource aligned with theU.N. Sustainable Development GoalsRemember, these collections arefrequently updated, so be sure tocheck for new additions. By settingaside time in July and August, you’llenter the new school year with awell-curated set of authentic materialsready to enhance your students’learning experience—and with asystem that grows stronger each year.Final ThoughtsAuthentic resources have transformedthe way I approach languageteaching—not just as tools forengagement, but as windows intoreal-world communication and culture.They’ve helped my students seelanguage as something alive andrelevant, not just something tomemorize. If you’re just starting out,remember: it’s okay to start small. Onememe, one infographic, one song canspark a whole conversation. The keyis to stay curious, stay organized, andreflect on what works. I’m grateful toWAFLT for creating spaces where wecan share, grow, and support oneanother—and I hope this article givesyou a few ideas to bring into your ownclassroom this summer and beyond.If you have any questions orcomments about this topic, pleasedon’t hesitate to reach out to me [email protected]. I’d love to hear how you’re usingauthentic resources in your owntemas!

The VOICE of WAFLT 7Avery C., Onlaska High SchoolAlana C., Goodland Montessori SchoolCelebrating Student Voices in World Languages: WAFLT’s Postcard Contestby Devin Pettys, WAFLT Postcard Contest CoordinatorIn 2008, WAFLT launched the firstedition of the Postcard Contest,inspired by the ACTFL DiscoverLanguages Campaign. Fast forward to2025, and we continue to recognizeWisconsin students' connections toworld languages of all kinds. Thiscontest provides an opportunity forstudents of all ages, frompre-kindergarten throughpost-secondary levels, to show howlanguages influence their daily lives inboth big ways and small.The postcard contest serves as apowerful tool for promoting languageprograms and raising awareness.Teachers can use these postcards toshare student progress with parents,highlight upcoming events, and informadministrators, school boards, andother community members about theincredible things that world languageeducators are doing each and everyday. This contest allows students’voices to demonstrate why languagelearning is essential for all Wisconsinstudents.At the 2025 WAFLT Conference, weproudly honored student participants,receiving over 100 incredible entries.The passion and dedication tolanguage learning was clear in everysubmission, making the selectionprocess a really difficult challenge.From these entries, we recognized 10outstanding postcards.Looking ahead, the 2026 PostcardContest will launch this fall with a newtheme and entries will be due at thebeginning of October 2026. Weencourage educators and students ofall languages and environments toparticipate and share what makes theirlanguage learning journey unique. Forcomplete contest details, visit theWAFLT website (www.waflt.org) andexplore the Public Relations page.Help us celebrate the power oflanguages in Wisconsin!

8 The VOICE of WAFLTCeCe O., Onalaska High SchoolEllie E., Stormonth ElementaryHadley R., Onlaska Middle SchoolHailey P., Lincoln High School

The VOICE of WAFLT 9Lauren M., Onlaska High SchoolMae A., Onlaska Middle SchoolNora C., New Berlin West High SchoolMia S., Milwaukee German Immersion School

10 The VOICE of WAFLTWAFLT President, Andrea Behn and 2025Distinguished Language Educator,Melanie LaseeWAFLT President, Andrea Behn, andDorothy Smaglick, recipient of the 2025Anthony J. Gradisnik Award2025 Awards and Grantsby Jolene WochenskeW AFLT recognizes students,teachers, and languageeducation collaborators in our state inorder to celebrate the exceptionalwork of our membership. Thank you toall members who took the time tonominate colleagues and students aswell as language educationsupporters. Thank you also to this year’s AwardsCommittee members: Victoria Carter,Daisy Roth, Derek Schaefer, YoshiroHanai, Andrea Behn, Nathan Schleef,and Saeng Yang for volunteering theirtime to review the nominations.2025 WAFLT DistinguishedLanguage EducatorEach year WAFLT honor one of itsmembers as the DistinguishedLanguage Educator. This awardrecognizes excellence in languageteaching and/or administration,long-term achievements, and service toWAFLT and the language professionlocally, regionally, and nationally. WAFLT is proud to present MelanieLasee as the 2025 WAFLTDistinguished Educator honoree. Melanie recently retired from herposition as German educator atAshwaubenon High School where sheserved not only as a classroomteacher but also as an advisor forGerman Club, German National HonorSociety, LINK Crew, and Cheer andPom. For 26 years Melanie has beena mentor for students of and advocatefor the teaching of world languages. Melanie has and continues to serve inprofessional organizations. Melaniehas presented at WAFLT, CentralStates and ACTFL as well as servedas Treasurer, Vice-President, President, and Past-President of theAmerican Association of Teachers ofGerman Wisconsin. In her 26 year career, Melanie’steaching has been grounded inenthusiasm, empathy, and a steadfastbelief in and commitment to herstudents. She makes every learnerfeel capable, valued and inspired. Inher personal teaching philosophy shestates, “I encourage them to becreative with the language and alwaysstrive for the next level of proficiency. Ialso encourage them to be life-longlearners and continue with thelanguage in college. It is so rewardingto speak with students who havecontinued learning German; some thatI would never have imagined. They tellme they will never forget how much Iloved to teach them, and many ofthem remember the places I havetaken them and say it is still the besttime of their life. The time I devote totheir education often becomes theirpassion too, and that is why I teach.”WAFLT is more than proud to honorMelanie Lasee as the 2025Distinguished Educator of the Year2025 Anthony J. Gradisnik AwardEach year, since 1998, WAFLT hashad the honor of presenting theAnthony J. Gradisnik Award, whichcommemorates Mr. Gradisnik’sexceptional enthusiasm and advocacyfor language education. Mr. Gradisnik,who began his career as a SpanishTeacher after World War II, was aforeign language curriculum specialistfor Milwaukee Public Schools from1959 to 1979. This award is presentedto an individual or group—especiallyfrom outside the world languageteaching profession—in such areas asinternational education, early languagelearning, and creative initiatives inlanguage education. WAFLT is proud to announce that thisyear’s recipient of the Anthony J.Gradisnik Award is Dorothy Smaglickof the German Language and SchoolSociety (DSSV), the Friends of theMax Kade Institute, and the GoetheHouse of Wisconsin. For decades, Dorothy Smaglick hasbeen one of Wisconsin’s mostpassionate and effective advocates forGerman language and culture.

The VOICE of WAFLT 11WAFLT President, Andrea Behn, andEmilie van Sluys, 2025 recipient of theFrank M. Grittner AwardThrough her tireless work with multipleorganizations, Smaglick haschampioned programs that strengthenlanguage education, connect studentswith real-world opportunities, andcelebrate Wisconsin’s rich Germanheritage. As a longtime board memberof the DSSV, Smaglick has beeninstrumental in organizing the annualDSSV German Essay Contest, whichhonors excellence in Germanlanguage learning but also supportsteachers by helping offset the costs ofadministering the AATG NationalGerman Exam. She coordinatesteacher grants and classroom fundingopportunities, ensuring that educatorsacross the state have the resources tokeep German programs thriving. Shealso spearheads the WisconsinGerman College and Career Day, abiennial event that brings togetherstudents, teachers, universities, andcompanies with German connections.Under her leadership, the GoetheHouse of Wisconsin has expanded itscultural and educational programming,increased adult language courseparticipation, and strengthened itscollaboration with the Goethe-InstitutChicago. Through her many roles,Smaglick has become the face ofGerman language advocacy inWisconsin—a connector, mentor, andtireless champion for languagelearning. Her contributions continue toensure that students and teachersalike experience the profound benefitsof linguistic and cultural exchange.WAFLT congratulates DorothySmaglick, the 2025 honoree of theAnthony J. Gradisnik Award. We thankMs. Smaglick for her commitment insupporting language teachers acrossWisconsin. WAFLT is pleased topresent this honor, reflecting thevalues that Mr. Gradisnik held so dear. 2025 Frank M. Grittner AwardThe Frank M. Grittner Award ispresented to a new member of ourprofession who has shown excellencein teaching and has providedleadership in service to school,community, and professionalorganizations. The award honorsFrank Grittner, a tireless promoter ofhigh standards for language teacherpreparation in our schools as theWisconsin State Foreign Languagesupervisor from 1961 to 1991.WAFLT is proud to award the 2025Frank M. Grittner Award to Emilie vanSluys, a Spanish Teacher at AmherstHigh School in Amherst, Wisconsin.True to the Grittner spirit, Emilie is anexample of exceptional new talent inWisconsin language education.Emilie began her teaching career in2022 at PJ Jacobs Junior High Schooland quickly established herself as adedicated and inspiring worldlanguage educator and coach atAmherst High School. Her personalityand dedication to her students createa comfortable and safe space for themto learn and take risks in their learning.She prepares students for languagelearning experiences outside of theclassroom by providing interviews withSpanish speakers in Spain,establishing relationships withcommunity members and helpingstudents honor their contributions, aswell as accompanying students ontrips abroad to ignite and foster theirpassion for travel. Van Sluys alsodeveloped a letter exchange programbetween the school community andEcuador, which made learning andusing the language accessible tostudents of all abilities and proficiencylevels. This has fostered lastingrelationships between students whonormally might not have had theopportunity to engage with each other.Her nominator highlighted Van Sluys’unwavering commitment to herstudents: “Emilie fosters a positiveattitude toward language learning andcultural exploration. Her enthusiasm isevident not only in the classroom butalso in the creative ways she connectsstudents to the real world.” Further shestates that Van Sluys “is dedicated toour profession of instilling a love oflanguage and understanding of othercultures. She supports the intellectual,social, and personal development ofher students and her impact extendsinto the community.”As a new teacher in our profession,Emilie has already set herself apart asa highly committed and innovativeeducator. WAFLT is honored tobestow the Frank M. Grittner Award toEmilie Van Sluys.2025 Recognition of Merit AwardsThe Recognition of Merit Award maybe presented annually to individualswho have demonstrated excellence inteaching or who have made significantcontributions to the language teachingprofession. This year the awardscommittee is pleased to present thisaward to the following incrediblyworthy recipients.

12 The VOICE of WAFLTAndrea Behn and Dr. Derek SchaeferAndrea Behn and Josh LeGreveAndrea Behn and Jannel McCallumAndrea Behn and Paul HoffDr. Derek Schaefer, Cedarburg HighSchoolDerek Schaefer has been teachingGerman for 17 years and has servedas a research fellow and intern in boththe United States and Germany. Hebelieves that “language is a windowthrough which students canunderstand different cultures andperspectives and apply this knowledgefor use in their futures in aninternational community and thatlearning a language has a multitude ofbenefits, whatever a student's futurecareer ambitions may be.” Derek iscurrently the President of theAmerican Association of GermanTeachers Wisconsin chapter.Josh LeGreve, Green Lake SchoolsJosh LeGreve has been teachingSpanish for 14 years and has servedas the IB Diploma Coordinator since2021. He believes that “Students (...)are to be active and collaborativeparticipants in their own education in aconstructivist manner. Agency—student voice, choice, and ownership— is a paramount component of 21stCentury education. Through this,students learn critical thinking andself-advocacy skills, giving them thetools of self-determination. Educationis a tool for freedom and a path to helpbreak down systemic oppression fromthe ground up.” Josh is currently theCentral States Coordinator of Mediaand Digital Marketing and a WisconsinFLES Fest Committee Member.Previously, Josh was honored with theWAFLT Future Teacher and Frank M.Grittner Awards.Jannel McCallum, Wausau SchoolDistrictJannel McCallum has been teachingSpanish for 15 years and before thatGerman for 10 years and has servedas the Global Language DepartmentChair since 2023. Jannel believes that“language is a tool for communication,connection and a way to explore worldcultures.” Her goal is to make learninga language an enjoyable andengaging experience. She furtherbelieves that educational travel is avaluable tool to foster a deeperunderstanding and appreciation fordifferent cultures.Nicole Zaeske, New Berlin WestHigh SchoolNicole Zaeske has been teachingSpanish for 11 years and before thatshe was a Rotary AmbassadorialScholar in Salta, Argentina. Nicolebelieves that “by fostering a culture ofrespect and collaboration, (sheempowers) students to take risks,make mistakes, and grow as confidentcommunicators. (Further, she sees)learning Spanish opens doors to newperspectives, cultures, andopportunities. Language learning (...)is about people, connection, andunderstanding.” Her mission is to helpher students “find joy in language,cultivate an open mind, and useSpanish as a tool to engagemeaningfully with the world aroundthem.” Previously, Nicole was honoredwith the American Association ofTeachers of Spanish and PortugueseDistinguished Educator Award andMario Fierros Award for Excellence.2025 Certificate of ProfessionalService AwardThe WAFLT Professional ServiceAward may be presented annually torecent retirees who have served boththe profession and their students inproviding quality world languageeducation. This year, WAFLTrecognizes Paul Hoff with this award.

The VOICE of WAFLT 13Andrea Behn and Sydney SchottonAndrea Behn and Kara TorkelsonAs we celebrate thehonorees of 2025 WAFLTawards, please considernominating a colleague,student, or friend oflanguage education for afuture WAFLT award. More information can befound at waflt.org.Paul’s dedication to world education ismeritorious. His colleague, KarenMorgan, praises Paul as a professorunlike any other. Each day he enteredthe classroom with a friendly smile, ahumble nod, and a twinkle in his eye.He was an exceptional educator, notonly providing his students with thescientific knowledge of world languagemethodology, but also he encouragedhis students to be playful andimaginative in their growth as futurelanguage educators. Paul fostered hisstudents' appreciation for the waysand whys of world languageeducation. He drew on a vast wealthof knowledge and experience, whichsupported his students to unleash themethods of passion and creativity.Paul delights in his former students’now educators’ successes and is atrue advocate for them. He hasinspired multiple generations of worldlanguage professionals, which hascreated a ripple effect from school toschool and culture to culture. 2025 Future Language TeacherAwardSydney Shotton – SpanishSydney graduated from CarrollUniversity and completed her studentteaching in Spanish at New BerlinWest High School. As her nominatorstates, Sydney’s strongest asset is herability to consistently exceedexpectations, bring energy andstructure to her lessons, and show alevel of initiative and care that is rare,even among experienced educators.Her patience, adaptability, andthoughtful feedback foster a positiveand inclusive learning environment.She is also a collaborative colleague,contributing meaningfully todepartment meetings and mentoringpeers through insightful questions andshared learning. Sydney chose acareer in language instruction becauseshe wanted to share with futurestudents the rich culture andperspectives that come with learningthe Spanish language. Sydney iscurrently in her first year of teachingSpanish at Reagan High School.WAFLT’s 2025 Teacher of the YearEach year, WAFLT nominates one ofits members for the ACTFL ForeignLanguage K-12 National Teacher ofthe Year (TOY). This last year’snominee is Kara Torkelson, FrenchTeacher in the Wausau School Districtand our current Program Co-Chair.Her passion for not only learning theFrench language but using it as aconduit to truly live the culture of aland and its people has shaped herentire teaching philosophy. In herwords: “I am committed to helpingstudents discover the same joy andtransformative power of languagelearning that I experienced. Culturalcompetency isn’t just a buzzword; it’san essential skill in our increasinglyinterconnected world. Understandingdifferent cultures and speakingmultiple languages opens doors tocareer opportunities, enrichespersonal relationships, and developscritical thinking skills.” Kara’s serviceto language educators across thestate is wide-ranging, including herwork as Program Co-Chair, which ishow we can all gather here today.Kara’s commitment to world languageeducation, outreach and advocacy hashad a positive impact throughout thestate of Wisconsin. Kara further state,“The value of learning anotherlanguage extends far beyond thepractical benefits. It cultivatesempathy, as we learn to see the worldthrough different cultural lenses. Itchallenges our assumptions aboutwhat we consider “normal” or“universal.” Most importantly, it helpsus recognize our shared humanityacross cultural boundaries.” Kara Torkelson exemplifies all of thecharacteristics of the ACTFL NationalTeacher of the Year Award. WAFLT isproud to have nominated Kara as the2025 ACTFL TOY award candidate.

14 The VOICE of WAFLTWAFLT Summer InstituteJuly 31-August, 2026University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointJoin your colleagues from around thestate and beyond for learning,networking and collaborative planning atthis 2-day professional learning event.Registration and more details will beavailable here soon.Hope to see you there! Honors in Language Study Awards (Top Student) The Honors in Language Study Award is conferred on students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in and commitment totheir school’s language programs. High school and university students must be enrolled in the highest level of study of their programsStudent Language(s) NominatorJoselyn SG. Spanish Jasmine PerryCassidy S. French Leah RognebyRandall T. Spanish Natalie GlazeHannah M. German, Spanish Jolene WochenskeLilian J. Spanish Jairo Granados BarqueroCamila G. Spanish Nicole ZaeskeIsabelle G. Spanish Emilie Van SluysAutumn M. Spanish Alix MaddenPolaris B. Spanish Laura HartlineMegan C. Chinese Dr. Kaishan KongNathan H. Spanish Colleen SteppExcellence in Language Study Awards (All Levels)The Excellence in Language Study Award may be conferred on students who have demonstrated great achievement and progress inlanguage study and who exhibit great potential for achievement in the language.Student Language(s) NominatorChloe S. French Leah RognebyAlivia B. Chinese, Spanish Jasmine PerryKaiyana D. Spanish Jody Reif ZimmermanRaquel G. Spanish Jessica SantiagoAriana R. Spanish Jairo Granados BarqueroMaya M. German Jolene WochenskeGarrison G. Spanish Natalie GlazeJenna M. Spanish Laura HartlineVerlayne Z. Spanish Josh LeGreveEaly KL. Chinese Dr. Kaishan KongEthan P. Spanish Colleen Stepp

The VOICE of WAFLT 15Distinguished Language Educator Award Acceptance SpeechDelivered by Melanie Lasee at the 2025 WAFLT Fall ConferenceGood morning everyone,I am deeply honored — and trulyhumbled — to stand before you thismorning as the recipient of theDistinguished Language EducatorAward. This organization has beensuch an important part of myprofessional life for so long, and to berecognized by the people who haveinspired and supported me all theseyears is truly special.When I think about this year’s theme,The Heart of Language: FosteringHuman Connections, I can’t help butreflect on how perfectly it captures whathas inspired me every single day for thepast 29 years. Teaching language isnever just about vocabulary lists or verbconjugations — it’s about connection.It’s about giving students the tools toreach across cultures, to understandothers, and to discover parts ofthemselves they didn’t know existed.When I think back over my 29 years ofteaching — from those early days withunpredictable middle schoolers, towide-eyed kindergarteners soaking upeverything I said, all the way to highschool students with varying goals inmind — I realize that everything I’veloved most about teaching has had todo with connection. It gives us a way tounderstand not only other people butalso ourselves. It teaches empathy,patience, and curiosity. It opens doors— and sometimes, it builds bridgeswhere we didn’t even know they werepossible. Each age group has remindedme, in its own way, that learning alanguage is an act of courage — awillingness to make mistakes, to listendeeply, and to step into someone else’sworld. And for me, those worlds havealways extended far beyond theclassroom walls.One of the greatest joys of my journeyhas been continuing our GermanAmerican exchange program. I was sofortunate to inherit a strong partnershipwith a school in Germany, and over theyears I’ve helped plan 18 exchanges —seven-week experiences that bringstudents and families from both sides ofthe ocean together to live, learn, andgrow side by side. Watching thosestudents form lifelong friendships,seeing them discover that they sharemore similarities than differences andrealize that “different” doesn’t mean“distant,” — that’s what this work is allabout. That, to me, is the heart oflanguage.WAFLT has always felt like home tome — and, like any good home, it’swhere I’ve found laughter, learning,and lifelong friends. Back in the early2000s, I remember hearing about theWI-AATG Immersion Weekend for thefirst time at WAFLT. I thought, “Well,this sounds fun — a weekend ofspeaking only German with otherteachers… what could possibly gowrong?” But it turned out to be one ofthe best decisions I ever made. Thatweekend not only strengthened mylanguage skills but also introduced meto so many incredible colleagues —including my dear friend Jolene. We’veshared more stories, laughter, andprobably more “pretzels” than weshould admit! This organization hasbeen where I’ve found colleagues whochallenge and inspire me, mentorswho lift others up, and friends whoremind me that collaboration is at thecenter of what we do. That exchangeof ideas — that human connection —mirrors exactly what we strive for inour classrooms. This is all proof thatWAFLT isn’t just a professionalorganization — it’s a family.When I look back at my milestones —the 1996 WAFLT Future ForeignLanguage Teacher Award, the 2017WAFLT Recognition of Merit, the 2019Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction— I see them not as personalachievements, but as reflections of theincredible community that surroundsme. I see the faces of students,coworkers, and mentors who helpedshape me. None of us do this alone.Every success is built on theencouragement of mentors, thecollaboration of colleagues, and thetrust of students and families whoopen their hearts to the world.As I step into retirement, my heart is fullof gratitude. Gratitude for WAFLT,AATG, and all the professionalcommunities that have shaped me.Gratitude for my students, who havereminded me year after year why thiswork matters. And gratitude for thecountless connections — acrossclassrooms, continents, and cultures —that have made these 29 years someaningful.Language truly lives at the intersectionof hearts. It lives in the connections wemake. It lives in the laughter sharedacross accents, the friendships formedacross oceans, and the understandingthat grows when we take the time tolisten. It reminds us that even whenwords differ, laughter sounds the same;that empathy needs no translation; andthat connection — real, humanconnection — is what makes us whole.Thank you for this incredible honor, foryour friendship, and for carrying forwardthe heart of language in all that you do.Vielen Dank — from the bottom of myheart.

16 The VOICE of WAFLTWAFLT Annual Business Meeting Saturday, November 8, 2025 | 10:30 AM Dean and Judy Moede Family Alumni Room, Reeve Center, UW-Oshkosh I. Greetings – Andrea BehnII. Fall Conference CommitteeProgram Committee Report (KaraTorkelson & Kelly Ferguson) C We have secured Reeve Union fornext year.C Next year’s conference theme is:Stronger Together: BuildingCommunity Through Languages.C We have placed the conferencesurvey on the app and will send out anemail to have attendees complete byNovember 21.C We will be searching for next year’sKeynote, please send ideas forpossible speakers.C Conference proposals for 2026 willopen December 15.C Deadline for proposals TBA.III. Secretary’s Report – Sarah SheaMOTION: Victoria moves to dispenseof the reading of the 2024 minutes.Andrea seconds. Passed/ by voicevotes.IV. President’s Report – Andrea BehnV. Treasurer Report / Finance – Tammy Riedel / Cathy Stresing C Treasurer– 25-26 Budget Projections:– Income: $43,400– Expenses: $43,830– At end of year:– Income: $26, 087– Expenses: $8700 (Memberclicks)– Balance of $39,042.13– Past, Present, Future situationsC Finance– Update on plea hearing andsentencing of former WAFLTTreasurer– Victim statements to be made bymembers of the Steering CommitteeVI. DPI World Language and GlobalEducation Consultant’s Report – vacantC DPI is on a hiring freezeC If your district needs help withstandards and proficiency-basedprofessional development,instructional design, performanceassessment, standards-basedgrading, middle school world languageprogram design, and teacherrecruitment from DPI they should nothesitate to contact Gregory Colemanat [email protected]. NNELL Report – Laith Al-MsaibeehC Save the date! Virtual FLESFESTConference, February 21, 2026 – Explorers-in-Training: Authentic GlobalConnections. Register by February 12,2026 to guarantee your spot.C Best FLES practices for ALL learners– novice and beyond!VIII. Professional DevelopmentCommittee – Jamie GurholtC Check out the PD Hub on theWAFLT website for upcomingopportunities. C There were several successfulPower Hour (virtual) gatherings thisyear. The last 2025 date for“Colleagues Connect” is December10th at 6 p.m. C New attendees seeking a mentorcan reach out to [email protected] We are looking for WAFLT membersto host a Share Fair (no-prepunconference/swap fest) in the winteror spring 2026. Anyone interested increating this easy, free, and rewardingPD opportunity in their school orcommunity space, please contact medirectly at [email protected]. Summer ProfessionalDevelopment C Summer Institute – Iva McLean– Save the Date! The SummerInstitute will be held on Friday, July 31and Saturday, August 1, 2026 thisyear. Plan on attending this two daysummer professional learning to gainnew knowledge, collaborate withcolleagues and prepare for the newyear. More details coming soon. C MOPI – Jody Reif Ziemann– There has been no MOPI trainingoffered through WAFLT since the2024 Annual Business Meeting – This topic will be discussed again ata future meeting.X. Grants, Scholarships, & AwardsC Grants & Scholarships - BobbetteLeu-Timmermann– WAFLT Grants & ScholarshipsReport November 2025– Student Travel Scholarship:Katherine Olson, Spanish teacherNicole Zaeske New Berlin High School– Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship: 0applicants– Student Travel ScholarshipDeadline: December 1stC Awards – Jolene Wochenske– It’s been a good awards season – 22 language students were recognizedwith Honors and Excellence awards inthe spring. Thank you to all of theprofessionals who nominated them.The Future Language Teacher isSydney Schotton. The Merit awardeesare Derek Schaefer, Nicole Zaeske,Jannel McCallum, and Josh LeGreve.

The VOICE of WAFLT 172026 WAFLT Fall Conference Stronger Together: BuildingCommunity Through Languages November 6-7, 2026UW-Oshkosh Campus, Reeve CenterComplete DetailsPaul Hoff is receiving a ProfessionalService recognition. Our AnthonyGradisnik recipient is Dorthy Smaglick.Our Frank Grittner recipient is EmilieVan Sluys. Our Teacher of the Year isKara Torkelson. Our DistinguishedLanguage Educator is Melanie Lasee.I highly implore language educators tonominate their students, peers, andformer instructors. This is our onespace to recognize their hard workand dedication to our craft. Thank youto our awards committee for selectingour recipients.XI. Public Relations CommitteeC In-state advocacy – JoslynHegelmeyer– I represented WAFLT at theWisconsin Public Education NetworkSummer Summit in Green Bay,networking and learning more abouthow the biennial budget will impact ourprograms. Pablo and I representedWAFLT at Language Advocacy Day inSeptember, meeting with staffers fromWI congressional representatives toadvocate for continued/increasedfederal funding for language programs. C National level advocacy – PabloMuirhead– Our WAFLT delegation representedour interests well on Capitol Hill duringAction Advocacy Day (virtual) onSeptember 29. We visited the officesof both US senators as well as fourU.S. representatives.– JNCL-NCLIS continues working withour bipartisan co-chairs to advancelanguage education and internationalstudy support with varied success. – You are encouraged to join us in DCthis March for LAD on Capitol Hill.Learn more atlanguagepolicy.org/events-1/language-advocacy-days-2026 C Discover Languages – Devin Pettys – Postcard contest had over 150entries this year. The new theme willbe posted after the conference. Thedeadline for submissions is October 2,2026.XII. Communications & PublicationsCommittee – Lauren RosenC Membership – Linda Havas– Our current membership is 445. Eachof our members is an important part ofthe past, present and future of WAFLT.Automated renewal notifications will besent when your membership is due forrenewal. Stay current, stay involved,and loop in your colleagues to all thatWAFLT has to offer too.C VOICE – Katy Dueppen– The Voice of WAFLT is a biannualpublication that seeks the voice of itsmembers. All WAFLT members areinvited and encouraged to write anarticle pertaining to effectiveinstructional practices, assessment, orinitiatives to promote language learningand interculturality in your school.– We are seeking articles for ourSpring edition from the entire WAFLTmembership.– January 1 – Spring 2026 editiondeadline – Please use this GOOGLE FORM tosubmit your article. Microsoft Word orGoogle Docs preferred. – Affiliate organizations: January 1deadline– Please refer to the guidelinesdocument for details on submittingyour affiliate organization report.C eVoice - Kara Torkelson– Always looking for articles that youthink are interesting. Send them [email protected] 21st Century Committee - JoshLeGreve/Lauren Rosen– Follow us on BlueSky!bsky.app/profile/wafltwi.bsky.social C Advertising – Josh LeGreve– We are in an advertising holdingpattern until we revamp the feesbased on future publication schedules.C Website – Lauren Rosen– Thanks for your patience as we workthrough the hiccups in the newmember engagement site. It has beena learning experience for all of us.– If anyone in this room is interested inassisting with technology, we haveroom for help, Wordpress (front end),Memberclicks (back end), social media.XIII. Announcements / otherbusiness, etc. – Fill out the conference evaluationform. XV. AdjournmentMOTION: Moved by Linda Havaas.Seconded by Jodi Reif-Zimman.Approved by voice vote.

18 The VOICE of WAFLTThank You, Contributors!WAFLT thanks the following individuals for their contributions in 2025-26.General Endowment FundLinguiphile ($100+)Danielle ChausseeLinda HavasBenefactor ($50-99)Anne Chartier Donna ClementiJoslyn HegelmeyerPaul SandrockSponsor ($25-49)Katy DueppenTammy RiedelContributor ($1-24)Vera KlekovkinaLauren RosenDeana ZorkoProfessional Development Scholarship Fund(Honoring Dr. Roma Hoff, Dr. Connie Knop & Dr. Irène Kraemer)Student Travel Scholarship Fund(Honoring O. Lynn Bolton)Linguiphile ($100+)Paul & Nuria HoffBenefactor ($50-99)Donna ClementiPeter HoffSponsor ($25-49)Katy DueppenKelly FergusonTammy RiedelCathy StresingPaul SandrockContributor ($1-24)Vera KlekovkinaLauren RosenDeana ZorkoLinguiphile ($100+)Benefactor ($50-99)Peter HoffSponsor ($25-49)Katy DueppenKelly FergusonTammy RiedelContributor ($1-24)Vera KlekovkinaJudith MichaelsLauren RosenDeana ZorkoYour Contributions Are Appreciated!Please consider contributing to one or more ofthese funds for 2026-27. You can do thisonline at waflt.org – log into your onlineaccount, and click “Endowment Contributions”on the top of the page to make yourcontribution, or mail your check to P.O. Box1493, Appleton, WI 54912, noting to whichfund(s) you would like your donation assigned.

The VOICE of WAFLT 19Wisconsin Co-Representatives toNNELLLaith Al-MsaibeehUniversity School of [email protected] LeGreveGreen Lake School [email protected] States Regional Representative Amanda Mendoza, Emporia, [email protected] Co-ChairsLaith Al-MsaibeehUniversity School of [email protected] SchneiderRetired French [email protected] GoodkindGreenfield High [email protected] Website: wi-nell.org National Website: nnell.orgfacebook.com/WisconsinNNELLH ello All! A lot of great things are happening withNNELL and WI-NELL! Take a look atsome of the recent events we held andkeep a few items on your radar.Join the WI-NELL Info ListAs the NNELL Representatives forWisconsin, we are hoping to start anewsletter or other online communityto help keep us connected as earlylanguage teachers across the state. Ifyou would like to be included in thislist, please email us [email protected] [email protected] with your name,school, and languages/grades taught.Working together, we can becomestronger! Recent OpportunitiesWe had a fabulous and playfulWisconsin FLESFEST that took placevirtually on Saturday, February 21,2026. We were so excited to haveDonna Clementi, Josh LeGreve, LaithAl-Msaibeeh, Jody Schneider, KatyDueppen, and a panel of globaleducators present this year. Ourtheme this year wasExplorers-in-Training: Authentic GlobalConnections, and we spent awonderful morning focusing onauthentic global connections andcultivating curiosity in the classroom. Just a reminder – anyone whoteaches novice levels (or beyond) isinvited and will take away great ideasfor the classroom. We will be startingto plan FLESFEST 2027 soon, sokeep next February on your radar forthat event. More information will becoming soon, and you can findupdates on wi-nell.org.Help Wanted! Are you interested in helping out in theplanning of FLESFEST? If yes,consider joining the FLESFESTcommittee by contacting Laith [email protected] ProfessionalDevelopmentKeep an eye out for information on theNNELL Summer Summit 2026 andother NNELL events. Our nationalorganization programs networking andprofessional development activitiesthroughout the year. This year NNELLand Klett World Languagescollaborated around a series of sixwebinars. Additionally, look out forNNELL Networking in 1, 2, 3! sessionsthroughout the year. This is a greatway to connect with other earlylanguage educators around the world.Please consider becoming a memberof NNELL, as many of theseopportunities are included withmembership. More information is atnnell.org. NNELL also runs a number ofsessions at Central States, sohopefully you can join us in Lansing,MI, in 2027. The theme for CentralStates 2027 will be Gathering Voices,Connecting Worlds. With it being just ajump over the lake, we would love tosee a number of early languagesessions from Wisconsin. Consideringproposing a session by June atcentralstatesconference.org to takepart. Let’s make a great showing forWisconsin! If you have any questions aboutNNELL or WI-NELL, do not hesitate toreach out to us [email protected] [email protected] Al-Msaibeeh & Josh LeGreve WI Co-Reps to NNELL

20 The VOICE of WAFLTNew members, Nakamura-senseiand Tagashira-sensei (center) at theWAFLT conference.Wisconsin Association of Teachers of JapaneseMembership Information: aatj.org/membershipWiATJ website: wisconsinatj.wordpress.comWiATJ Facebook: facebook.com/wiatjAATJ website: aatj.orgPresidentYoshiro [email protected] [email protected] Ex-officioPatricia BreunMadison Country Day [email protected] DirectorMasako [email protected] KitamuraWisconsin Virtual [email protected] SecretaryYuko [email protected](Kon’nichiwa)Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 havebeen productive and fruitfulsemesters for the WisconsinAssociation of Teachers of Japanese.During our regular zoom meetings, weshared our programs’ news andachievements, talked about what morewe could do for serving communities,and discussed pressing issues andconcerns such as enrollments andinstructional challenges. We alsorevised outdated bylaws, established anew travel grant policy with specificrules, and updated school informationon the website. A portion of eachmeeting was held jointly with theMinnesota Council of Teachers ofJapanese, which created beneficialinter-state information exchanges. In addition, there was also anopportunity for Japanese teachers inWisconsin to get together in personthanks to the newly established JapanAmerica Society of Wisconsin(JASWI). Their launch reception atLawrence University brought togetherWisconsin’s Japanese languageeducators and business & communityleaders to discuss ideas forstrengthening our Japan-Wisconsinconnections. Meeting with peers fromacross the state and exploring newopportunities for collaboration wasanother wonderful networking event.(Image: JASWI launch reception flier)Here are some featured efforts andactivities our members have engagedin beyond their regular teaching duties.New WiATJ MembersWiATJ welcomed new members in2026. Prior to the beginning of theyear, our President and Vice Presidentmet two of the new members in personat the 2025 WAFLT conference.Talking with the new energeticeducators was refreshing andinspiring. We look forward to furtheropportunities to learn more from eachother.

The VOICE of WAFLT 21WiATJ member, Kojima-sensei,speaking at the grant award ceremonyMaeda-sensei on theworkshop website Hanai-sensei (left) interacting with otherrepresentativesSaturday School was Awarded JFLASalary GrantMilwaukee Doyokai JapaneseSaturday School(milwaukeedoyokai.wordpress.com)received the Salary Assistance Grant,a prestigious competitive grant offeredby Japan Foundation Los Angeles(JFLA). The award ceremony wasattended by Consul-General Mizobuchifrom the Consul-General of Japan inChicago. The school is run by a groupof Japanese parents who wish toprovide opportunities for children livingin the Milwaukee area to learnJapanese. This award is sowell-earned.Leading Japanese Online TeachingCommunityFollowing her participation as apanelist in the 2025 Japanese OnlineLanguage Pedagogy SummerWorkshop hosted by the NationalForeign Language Resource Center atthe University of Hawai#i at M noa, aWiATJ member and instructor at theUniversity of Wisconsin–River Falls,Magara Maeda, took the initiative tobring together like-minded educatorsby organizing online meetings focusedon Japanese online teaching. Thiseffort has since been formallyapproved and has evolved into theAATJ (American Association ofTeachers of Japanese) JapaneseOnline Education Special InterestGroup (SIG), marking a significant stepforward for collaboration andprofessional exchange in this area.In addition to this professionalmilestone, we are pleased to share astudent achievement fromMaeda-sensei: one third-semesterJapanese student at the University ofWisconsin–Stevens Point recentlyearned the Global Seal of Biliteracy,highlighting the impact of Japaneselanguage education in our state. Sakura Network Training Representing WiATJ, the currentPresident Yoshiro Hanai attended thefirst in-person session of the 2025Sakura Network Leadership TrainingCourse. Hosted by JFLA and AATJ inOctober 2025, the representatives ofall 26 AATJ local affiliates gathered inLos Angeles from all over the nation.The training was focused ondeveloping the next leaders in theJapanese language education sphereacross the United States, and the nextphase is developing action plans andimplementing them. This is anothergreat opportunity to use our collectiveefforts to advance Japanese languagelearning.Respectfully Submitted,Yoshiro Hanai

22 The VOICE of WAFLTAmerican Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese¡Hola / Olá! ¡Un gran saludo de AATSP-WI! / Saudações a todos do AATSP-WI!Thank you for your continuedsupport and membership! You may renew your AATSPmembership for 2026 here. As someschool districts are tightening securitymeasures, or if you're a member whomay be retiring, please consider usingyour personal email address in yourrenewal. ¡Enhorabuena!Congratulations to the 2025AATSP-WI Distinguished Educator:Erin Falk, Spanish Teacher at NewBerlin Eisenhower Middle/HighSchool, nominated by Adam Bosetski.Erin received an engraved plaque and$500 award; see her information onour website, wiaatsp.org/awards.Each year AATSP-WI celebrates aSpanish/Portuguese teacher who hasdemonstrated excellence in theclassroom, their community, and/orwithin our organization. Do you know aSpanish/Portuguese Teacher whomight be deserving of this award?Look for nomination information onour website mid-August. Thenomination deadline is October 1.Congratulations to the 2025 Friend ofAATSP-WI Award: Jacobo Lovo,Artistic Director of Latino Arts, Inc.,nominated by Nicole Zaeske. Jacoboreceived a certificate of appreciationfrom AATSP-WI; see his informationat wiaatsp.org/awards.This award will be given to anindividual or organization that hasmade notable contributions to theSpanish or Portuguese languagecommunity in Wisconsin. Do youknow a community member whomight be deserving of this award?Look for nomination information onour website mid-August. Thenomination deadline is October 1.Chapter Updates andAchievements - wiaatsp.orgAATSP-WI Book Club “Grupo deLectura” - is for any Spanish-speakerwho enjoys reading and informal bookdiscussions. Check out our current andpast reads.The goal of the book club is to providea community to read and discussliterature together, en español. It is inno way a formal club, so feel free tojoin whenever you are able.NEW FORMAT AND CRITERIA forthe Concurso Oral. Please see ourwebsite for new categories andperformance evaluation criteria, as wellas our statewide contest winners for2026, which have been available tomembers since our annual businessmeeting at WAFLT. We thank themany student participants, schools thatsupport the Concurso Oral, and thevolunteer judges.– All participating students earned anaward certificate.– High achieving performances won amemorable pin.– 10 senior WI senior first placewinners receive $100 scholarships.PresidentAlix MaddenPittsville School [email protected] LeGreveGreen Lake School [email protected] PresidentJessica SantiagoSchool District of New Berlin [email protected] BrockmanLaconia High School (RosendaleBrandon School District)[email protected] BosetskiSchool District of New [email protected] ZaeskeNew Berlin West Middle/High [email protected] Oral CoordinatorsJosh LeGreve, Green Lake School [email protected] Zorko, Wisconsin Virtual [email protected] Sociedad Honoraria HispánicaJessica SwemkeLincoln High School, [email protected]

The VOICE of WAFLT 23The 2026 AATSP Poster Contest isfor K-12 students whose teachers areAATSP members. This year’s themeis: Teaching in all tenses: The past,present, and future of Spanish andPortuguese. Submissions were due tothe state Coordinator, Josh LeGreve,in March, 2026. WI winners for allcategories are published on our statewebsite, and include the top selectionsfor the national competition. See thenational winners on the AATSP-WIPoster Contest website.– National Spanish Exam (NSE) -exam window was from 2/23/26 -4/03/26. – NSE awards $1,000 scholarships tohigh achieving seniors.– AATSP-WI is proud to use NSEfunds to award two additional $500scholarships for Wisconsin seniors.– Teachers can apply for $500 andtravel scholarship opportunities.We are seeking Portugueselanguage representation inAATSP-WI. Are you a PortugueseTeacher? Do you know someone whois? Please consider joining, shareinformation about AATSP-WI with yourfellow Portuguese Teachercolleagues/contacts. Muita obrigada!We have 107 active members inAATSP-WI (as of 12/25). Renew yourmembership HERE. Your memberbenefits include:– Free educational webinarssponsored by the AATSP and itspartners, and connections to manyProfessional Learning andDevelopment opportunities.– Free access (online) to Hispania:long and short articles on appliedlinguistics, cultural studies, culture,film, language, linguistics, literarycriticism, literature, and languagepedagogy.– Free access (online) to Spanish &Portuguese Review (SPR): ourgraduate student journal.– Free access (online) to Albricias;our high school Spanish HonorSociety's publication. – Free job search in our Career Center:new and improved language educationjob search engine with resume uploadand feedback, and tips for finding theperfect job in language education.– Wealth of student awards,scholarships, travel opportunities– Student participation in ConcursoOral speaking contest, Poster Contest,National Spanish/Portuguese Exam.– Support with Sociedad HonorariaHispánica (10-12) or la SociedadHispánica de Amistad (1-8).– Study Abroad Scholarships forstudents and teachers.– Members' discount on AATSPAnnual Conference registration: Over300 sessions, workshops, posterexhibits and meetings aimed toimprove cultural and literaryknowledge, develop your professionalskills and promote the latest languageteaching technique.Join our Facebook AATSP-WITeachers group for updates,networking & collaboration, andregional cultural event sharing.¡Todos a una! Todos por um!

24 The VOICE of WAFLTPresidentDaisy RothSt. Mary Catholic HighSchool (SMCS)[email protected] (Echo) WuMiddleton Cross PlainsArea School [email protected] Past President &Event CoordinatorYongyan LiuUniversity School of [email protected] [email protected] Development CoordinatorWeihua ZhuDepartment of AsianLanguages & CulturesUniversity of [email protected] Association of Chinese Language TeachersAmerican Association of French Teachers-Wisconsin ChapterPresident/Concours OralAndrew IrvingEAGLE School [email protected] President-Elect/Grand ConcoursAlexandra [email protected] Secretary-TreasurerReuben [email protected] Past President/Concours OralCathy [email protected] Concours Oral Co-CoordinatorBrian [email protected] AATF-WI website: aatfwi.orgJoin us on Facebook: AATF-WisconsinAATF website: frenchteachers.org

The VOICE of WAFLT 25American Association of Teachers of German – WisconsinWisconsin Latin Teachers AssociationPresidentDavid CouryUW-Green [email protected] PresidentDerek SchaeferCedarburg High [email protected] Sarah Seidler-HalwasRipon High [email protected] Kelsie PattilloBrookfield East & Central High [email protected] KolpinWauwatosa School [email protected] SchleefFox Valley Lutheran High [email protected]

26 The VOICE of WAFLTWAFLT Awards, Scholarships, and Grants: Details & Forms available @ waflt.orgWAFLT Distinguished Language Educator Award: WAFLT'shighest recognition, may be conferred annually on an individual ofthe language teaching profession who has demonstrated long-termachievement and service to WAFLT and to the profession locally,statewide, regionally, and/or nationally. Nomination Deadline:March 15Anthony J. Gradisnik Award: May be conferred on anindividual or group especially from outside the world languageteaching profession who shares Mr. Gradisnik's enthusiasm andadvocacy for language education in such areas as internationaleducation, early language learning, and creative initiatives inlanguage education. Nomination Deadline: March 15Frank M. Grittner New Teacher Award: May be conferredannually on an individual new to the language teaching professionwith one to three years experience who has demonstratedexcellence in teaching and leadership in the promotion of languagelearning and international understanding; has given service toschool, community, and state organizations; and has showncommitment to regional and national organizations. NominationDeadline: March 15WAFLT Excellence in LanguageStudy Award:May be conferredon students who have demonstrated great achievement andprogress in language study and who exhibit great potential forfurther achievement in the language. Students currently enrolled ina world language course offered at their school. Elementary,middle school, high school, and post-secondary students areeligible. Nomination Deadline: March 15WAFLT Honors in Language Study Award: May be conferredon students who have demonstrated outstanding achievementin and commitment to their school’s language programs.Students currently enrolled in the most advanced worldlanguage course offered at their school; high school and postsecondary students are eligible. Deadline: March 15WAFLT Future Language Teacher Award: May be conferredannually on students in teacher-training programs who haveshown exceptional promise and potential to becomeoutstanding world language educators. Students currentlyenrolled in a teacher-training program are eligible. Nomination Deadline: April 1 Donna Clementi Award for Excellence in World LanguagePrograms: Recognizes one school and/or district that promoteslanguage learning through quality programs. WAFLT Professional Service Award: May be presentedannually to recent retirees who have served both the professionand their students in providing quality world language education.Recent retirees with a minimum of ten years’ experience as worldlanguage educators and who have been members of WAFLT aminimum of five years within the past ten years are eligible.Nomination Deadline: May 15WAFLT Recognition of Merit: May be presented annually toindividuals who have demonstrated excellence in teaching or whohave made significant contributions to the language teachingprofession. Nomination Deadline: February 15

The VOICE ofWAFLTKaty Dueppen, EditorWAFLT Membership ServicePO Box 1493Appleton, WI 54912CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTEDInformation & Address ChangeHelp eliminate costly duplicate mailings. Mark appropriately, detach and return to:WAFLT Membership Services, PO Box 1493, Appleton, WI 54912Please delete the address on the mailing labelPlease correct the address on the mailing labelPlease add the name/address shown to the WAFLT mailing list.Please send WAFLT membership information to the address shown below.Write address addition/corrections here:Name: Address: