ICTFL Scholarship for Future World Language Educators
ICTFL will award up to two $500 scholarships to high school seniors planning to pursue a career as a World Language teacher and up to two $1000 scholarships to college level students who are studying to become World Language educators.
* All applicants for both of these scholarships must be Illinois residents and be attending an Illinois school as an undergraduate or graduate student.
Additionally, the Lionel E. Smith Scholarship for future African American Language Teachers was established through the Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. A cash award of $500 will be given to an African American senior in an Illinois high school who plans on attending an in-state or out-of-state college/university to become a language teacher. This award will be renewable each year as long as the student continues to make progress toward becoming a language teacher. ICTFL will administer the scholarship. See the ICTFL Scholarship page for details as available.
All scholarship recipients will receive a complimentary ICTFL membership for one year and free registration to the ICTFL Fall Conference.
* All applicants for both of these scholarships must be Illinois residents and be attending an Illinois school as an undergraduate or graduate student.
Additionally, the Lionel E. Smith Scholarship for future African American Language Teachers was established through the Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. A cash award of $500 will be given to an African American senior in an Illinois high school who plans on attending an in-state or out-of-state college/university to become a language teacher. This award will be renewable each year as long as the student continues to make progress toward becoming a language teacher. ICTFL will administer the scholarship. See the ICTFL Scholarship page for details as available.
- All high school applicants must have completed at least 3 high school years of World Language study or have earned a Seal of Biliteracy.
- All college students must have completed at least 3 college semesters of World Language study prior to applying for the scholarship.
- Applications are due February 28.
All scholarship recipients will receive a complimentary ICTFL membership for one year and free registration to the ICTFL Fall Conference.
2024 Future World Language Teacher Recipients
We are very happy to announce the recipients of the ICTFL Scholarships for Future World Language Educators in Illinois. Two high school seniors, Savannah Amatyleon and Madeleine Pool, will receive the ICTFL $500 scholarship, and two university students, Sarah Hansen and Candelaria Barrientos Jimenez, will receive the ICTFL $1000 scholarship.
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Candelaria Barrientos Jimenez is completing a masters program at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb where she is majoring in Spanish and Hispanic Studies. She describes the challenges of being a heritage speaker who feels very comfortable understanding Spanish in family reunions, but who struggles at times in more professional settings. She adds that these “realizations propelled my journey of becoming as proficient in Spanish as I am in English.”
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Madeline Pool is a senior at Wheaton Warrenville South High School in Wheaton. She thanks two of her high school teachers for inspiring her to become a Spanish teacher. They “have such positive energy, and are always willing to help and answer questions. I have formed such great relationships with both of them that it makes Spanish even more enjoyable. They have so much passion for teaching and for the language that it makes everyone else in the room enjoy the class no matter how hard the material is. This led me to think I want to become a Spanish teacher…….”
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Sarah Hansen attends Elmhurst University in Elmhurst where she is an elementary education major with a dual focus on teaching Spanish and English language learners. She adds, “My passion for teaching English learners stemmed from a research paper I did while in high school on the disproportionate number of English Learners in Iowa versus the number of teachers who were qualified and able to provide an effective learning experience for those whose first language is not English. This was one of many inequities in the Education field that motivated me to become an educator.”
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Savannah Amatyleon is a senior at Mahomet-Seymour High School in Mahomet. She credits her dad who is Peruvian with sparking her interest in Spanish. “Every summer, my dad leads a group of people from my church on a mission trip to Trujillo……When I was in Peru for the first time, I quickly realized that my passion was for Spanish and Hispanic culture. Being immersed in the culture and getting to use my Spanish daily was amazing for me…..I would love to be able to help others with language through education.”
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Congratulations to all the winners. We wish you the best as you pursue your World Language studies and your career choice!
