ACTFL Celebrates Achievement in Language Education

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ACTFL is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of the ACTFL Professional Awards, an annual program recognizing outstanding contributions to the field of language education.

These awards will be presented in New Orleans on Friday, November 21, as part of the 2025 ACTFL Annual Convention & World Languages Expo.

The following ACTFL Professional Awards will be granted:

• Leo Benardo Award for Innovation in K-12 Language Education: J. Ryan Allen, Delmar School District (DE)
  
  
• NFMLTA/MLJ Emma Marie Birkmaier Award for Doctoral Dissertation Research in World Language Education: Elizabeth Dubberly, University of Georgia and Clarke County School District for her dissertation "Creando con Ciencia: Creative Entanglements in the DLI Spanish Science Classroom"
  
  
• Nelson Brooks Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Culture: Carl Blyth, University of Texas at Austin
  
  
• Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Classroom: Chantal Esquivias Argelaguet, Olympus High School (UT)
  
  
• Klett Award for Sustainable Development Education in the World Language Classroom:
• Shaoyuen Carol Chen-Lin, Choate Rosemary Hall (CT)
• Yan Liu, Duke University (NC)
• Ciuda la Tierra; Accepted by Larissa Giacoman, St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School (VA)
  
  
• NYSAFLT Anthony Papalia Award for Excellence in Teacher Education: Teresa Bell, Brigham Young University (UT)
  
  
• NFMLTA/MLJ Paul Pimsleur Award for Research in World Language Education: Erin Fell, LANGuistics, for "Foreign Language Education in Louisiana: A Cluster Analysis" (2024)
  
  
• Wilga Rivers Award for Leadership in World Language Education (Postsecondary): Fernando Rubio, Yale University (CT)
  
  
• Florence Steiner Award for Leadership in World Language Education (K-12): Lori Langer de Ramirez, The Dalton School (NY)
  
  
• Award for Excellence in World Language Instruction Using Technology (K-12): Yeider Guerra, Rock Hill High School (SC)
  
  
• Award for Excellence in World Language Instruction Using Technology (Postsecondary): Stacey Weber-Fève, Iowa State University
  
  
• Melba D. Woodruff Award for Exemplary Elementary World Language Program: Duff Language Magnet Academy (CA); accepted by Valerie Sun, Principal

The ceremony will open with remarks by ACTFL Past-President L.J. Randolph, Jr., and feature the Public Service Award for World Language and Cultural Advocacy, acknowledgment of the 2025 Research Priorities Grants recipients and Foreign Language Annals Super Reviewers, as well as remarks from the 2025 National Language Teacher of the Year, Kei Tsukamaki.

Learn more about the ACTFL Professional Awards program. The call for nominations, including self-nominations, will reopen in Spring 2026.

About ACTFL:
Providing vision, leadership and support for quality teaching and learning of languages, ACTFL is an individual membership organization of language educators and administrators from elementary through graduate education, as well as government and industry. Since its founding in 1967, ACTFL has become synonymous with innovation, quality, and reliability in meeting the changing needs of language educators and their learners. It is where the world's educators, businesses, and government agencies go to advance the practice of language learning.

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SOURCE ACTFL