Congratulations!
We are so fortunate at AFLA to work alongside the amazing language teachers and language supporters of Alaska. Please take a moment to share in the recognitions of this year's awards recipients.
Olga Pustina
2024 Terry Higley K-12 Teacher of the Year!
Olga Pustina is a Russian Immersion teacher at Turnagain Elementary in the Anchorage School District. Currently she teaches 4th and 5th grade Russian immersion. Olga is an absolutely amazing teacher; hardworking, dedicated, positive, and flexible. As a parent of RI students herself, she also stepped in and served as the president of MIR (the Russian Immersion parent organization) for several years. She's been instrumental in organizing the annual Father Frost and Maslenitsa events, as well as the Russian Immersion graduation at Anchorage West High School.
Dr. Rebeca Maseda Garcia
2024 Wolf Hollerbach Post-Secondary Teacher of the Year!
Rebeca Maseda Garcia is a professor and coordinator of Spanish in the University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Languages. Since joining UAA in 2008, she has taught all levels of Spanish and advanced topics courses with enthusiasm, and her classes are always well-attended. As a researcher, she has an extensive record of publications on film and gender and language learning with an interest in controversial issues related to gender and feminist relations. Her recent publication includes Gender and Violence In Spanish Culture: From Vulnerability to Accountability (2018). Among her past awards is the 2014 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Dr.Elizabeth Dick
2024 Jo Sanders Passion & Energy in Teaching Award!
Elizabeth Dick is a product of the Anchorage School District and returned to the ASD to teach after pursuing her professional education. What she has contributed to ASD's World Languages program over the years is immeasurable in many ways.​ She has been a constant and stead-fast force in language education in ASD for 3 decades. As a student of Spanish (and graduate at Anchorage West High School), she studied abroad in Germany after finishing bachelor degrees in German and Spanish. She taught Spanish in the ASD for several years before pursuing her doctorate. She then returned to the ASD and resumed teaching German and took on the role of department chair at South Anchorage High School. She's been co-director of the ASAA Declamation competition for several years as well as implementing the AATG National German Exam; she serves on the board of the local AATG; works the ASD's German camp annually; leads biannual GAPP exchanges between Germany and Alaska and is currently troubleshooting future host family possibilities for her school district; is a College Board reader for the AP German Language and Culture exam; and works as the German rating manager for Avant Assessment.
NSA-Alaska (National Security Agency)
2024 Janice Gullickson Friends of Languages Award!
Since 2019 the NSA-Alaska and ASD World Languages, specifically the Russian Immersion Program, have partnered to provide an NSA High School Work-Study Program, where Anchorage West High School students in the Russian Immersion Program can apply to be Russian language interns. This program has been expanded to other ASD high school students interested in cyber studies/coding/etc. One of the first high school work study programs outside of the NSA headquarters in Maryland, the NSA reached out to ASD, interested in working with our high school Russian immersion students to develop into what is one of the best opportunities for ASD world language / immersion students to showcase their language skills outside of the classroom setting. The opportunities afforded to these students beyond high school are endless.
