FLAME LEADERSHIP AWARD

            The Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME) conferred its 2004 Leadership Award on Julia Schulz of Rockland, Maine. Schulz is a co-founder and past President of Penobscot School, a nonprofit center for language learning and international cultural exchange based in Rockland. She was recognized for her work in developing innovative immersion learning programs for adults and in helping people reclaim lost heritage languages. "Many people who feel they lost the heritage language of their grandparents or parents, actually still have the language in them," Schulz said. "There's a huge piece of us, of our identity, that is tied into our first language, and when that is suppressed we lose that piece of ourselves. So in reconnecting with the heritage language, we actually grow and find more energy for the things we care most deeply about." The Center also has programs in several New England cities and works with local and state government to advance heritage language as a resource for Maine's creative economy and community economic development based on regional cultural ties.

In conferring the award, the committee recognized that Schulz has developed programs in Maine, New England, Quebec, and the Caribbean for immersion language that make language learning into a cultural adventure that can be fun and personally rewarding.  The FLAME advisory board noted the increased importance of bilingualism in a globalizing world and the potential of language for cultural and economic development.

               •    Submitted by David Clough, CEO of Penobscot School.

STUDENT RECOGNITION AWARD

      Sarah Farrington, a junior at Cheverus High School, is the 2004 recipient of the FLAME Student Recognition Award.  The criteria for selection are that the nominee must have studied a minimum of 4 years of at least one language. Ms. Farrington has been taking French for six years, is taking French IV Honors, and she is in her second year of Latin.  She has also been exposed to Spanish.  The nominee must also have a record of outstanding scholarship and of service to his/her school. Ms Farrington is a High-Honor student and a member of the National Honor Society. 

When it comes to service Ms Farrington has also been busy.  She revived the International Club, co-chaired its Classics division, and is now president of the Spanish Club.  This Club recently hosted its first International Heritage Celebration.  She hopes to organize a trip to Guatemala City to help underpriviledged children.

She is also a member of the Cheverus High School Math Team, the Key Club, and is a Big Sister with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program in Portland. She also volunteers as a Junior Counselor at the Maine Audubon Camp for a month in the summer. 

Her interest in languages has her curious about international business. This past summer she spent three weeks as an intern at the Maine International Trade Center in Portland.  She produced the Trade Center Bulletin, attended presentations hosted by various consulates, researched different industry sectors in Ireland and England for Maine companies, and helped host Senator George Mitchell to promote Governor Baldacci's trade mission to Ireland.  She is considering working either for the CIA, the United Nations on the Social Economic council, or the International court of justice.  "I am not certain what job I would like to pursue," says Ms Farrington," but I know that I will utilize my proficiency in language."

                                                                                                                •   C. Hobby-Editor

FLAME Sister Solange Bernier Lifetime Achievement

Claudette Kydd received the 2004 FLAME Lifetime Achievement Award. This award  recognizes the career-long accomplishments of a teacher approaching retirement, or one who has recently retired, and who has demonstrated excellence in teaching and leadership throughout his or her career as a teacher of modern and classical languages.

            Ms Kydd taught for over thirty years in southern Penobscot County, serving at John Bapst High School, East Corinth Academy, Union Street Junior High, and Garland Street Middle School, renamed William S. Cohen School.  She also helped organize fund-raisers for trips to Quebec City for her 8th grade students and for French Clubs. In addition, she participated in the NACEL foreign exchange programs, and taught at Bangor Adult Education.  She has been an active member of both FLAME, for which she served as Treasurer, and AATF.  She also regularly hosted the Penobscot Collaborative.

Some testimonials might further highlight Ms Kydd's love of teaching. A past student wrote: ""She is the reason I decided to continue with French.  She was the most exuberant and exciting teacher I had." A colleague wrote: "She has helped me, supported me, and encouraged me.  She has made a huge impact on my teaching, and I am truly grateful to her." An administrator wrote:  "Madame was always a bundle of energy who loved to teach. She loved kids and they loved her.  She was innovative, enthusiastic, positive, and was a life long learner who experimented with new methodologies until the day she retired.  She was a loyal worker and a tremendous ambassador for our school. We miss her." 

Claudette Kydd retired in the spring of 2002.                                            

FLAME AWARD for EXCELLENCE in TEACHING

      Theresa Finnerty received the 2004 FLAME Teacher of the Year Award. The criteria for nomination are that the nominee must have at least 2 years of FLAME membership and a minimum of 5 years teaching experience.  The FLAME Advisory Board considers how the nominee has demonstrated best practice, how he or she has contributed to the teaching and learning of a modern or classical language, and what teaching practices and activities he or she uses to improve students' language proficiency and motivation.

            Theresa Finnerty has taught eight years at Brunswick High School and seven years at Cheverus High School.  When she arrived at Cheverus she "picked up the pieces of a program utterly lacking in seriousness and academic challenge and brought it to a point today where the Spanish classes are filled to overflowing with satisfied students," explains colleague Mary E. Campbell. Ms Finnerty is described as a "hard working and caring person" who "gives special attention to each of her students in order to make the class easier for every student."  She is always available to help students.  She attends workshops on a regular basis to keep abreast of new methodologies and has the gift of adapting her instruction to meet the various needs of her students.  Moreover, she "keeps her classes fresh" and spices them with music, poetry, and creative projects.

            Ms Finnerty is also active in her community and has organized a cultural exchange program and invites students from Chile to spend time at Cheverus High School.  This started as an email project and has now grown to include homestays with the families of some of her Spanish students.  She has also created a new Spanish Club that hosted its first multi-cultural night this academic year.  Ms Campbell summarizes Ms Finnerty's gift of teaching: "For Terry, Spanish is not something that she teaches, but something that she loves, and her goal is to convey this appreciation to her students."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     •    C. Hobby-Editor