TEC Student of the Month Award

A student who puts great effort into her Spanish studies, Becky has been extremely committed to her twice-weekly morning classes for over a year and a half. She arrives early, ready-to-go, brings kindness and laughter to the classroom, forms strong connections with her compañeros, and makes a significant investment of time studying on her own and completing class assignments with creativity and thoughtfulness.  A master gardener, a discussion with Becky often begets new plant vocabulary, and she is generous in sharing the bounty of her harvest with appreciative classmates. The same patience, curiosity, and inner strength that bring her great success in the garden inform her attitude as a student of Spanish - she is perseverant and at peace with her learning process, whatever challenges it may bring. We are delighted to have Becky as party of our community at Tierra and look forward to continuing to marvel at the fruits of her labor.

An extraordinarily dedicated student whose passion for everything she does is inspiring, Azure has achieved great progress in her time at Tierra. Her strong interest in cultural learning has provided fuel in her quest to learn Spanish and she’s eagerly taken as many cultural immersion courses as she can. Through her thoughtful analysis of the topics being discussed, she brings depth and reflection to the classroom, enriching the experience for all present. In her work as a middle school teacher, Azure is able to harness her increased cultural awareness in order to better serve her students and transmit this consciousness to them. A kind and compassionate classmate, she often encourages others and helps make Tierra feel like a community.  We salute Azure and all educators who work so hard to give young people the tools and knowledge they need to thrive - we wish you all a wonderful Summer break!

With an air of sweetness and good will, Diane is a delight to be around and brightens any class she’s in. Retired from her career as an arts and dance educator, she has that spark of curiosity characteristic of people who envision learning as a lifetime endeavor. She now harnesses this passion for learning and culture to work towards her goal of becoming fluent in Spanish. An enthusiastic traveler, she is motivated in part to be able to have authentic conversations with people she encounters on trips to Mexico and Latin America. Interested in many cultures, she is also busy exploring her own origins, learning Japanese and enjoying the flower arranging tradition “Ikebana”. One would be hard-pressed to find a more dedicated student - she takes her Spanish studies seriously and is a warm and supportive classmate. We are grateful to have Diane in our community at Tierra and look forward to continuing to see her abilities blossom.