Spanish Teacher Emilie Van Sluys receives 2025 WAFLT Frank M. Grittner New Teacher Award
The Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers (WAFLT) recently announced that Amherst Spanish teacher Emilie Van Sluys has been awarded the prestigious Frank M. Grittner New Teacher Award. This annual award recognizes new language teachers who demonstrate exceptional teaching abilities, leadership in promoting language learning, and commitment to service within their schools and communities.
Van Sluys, who began her teaching career in 2022 at PJ Jacobs Junior High School in Stevens Point, has quickly established herself as a dedicated and inspiring world language educator and coach at Amherst. Her personality and dedication to her students create a comfortable and safe space for them to learn and take risks in their learning. She prepares students for language learning experiences outside of the classroom by providing interviews with Spanish speakers in Spain, establishing relationships with community members, and helping students honor their contributions, as well as accompanying students on trips abroad to ignite and foster their passion for travel. Van Sluys also developed a letter exchange program between the school community and Ecuador, which made learning and using the language accessible to students of all abilities and proficiency levels. This has fostered lasting relationships between students who normally might not have had the opportunity to engage with each other.
In her nomination letter, Van Sluys’ fellow Spanish teacher Natalie Glaze highlighted her colleague’s unwavering commitment to her students: “Emilie fosters a positive attitude toward language learning and cultural exploration. Her enthusiasm is evident not only in the classroom but also in the creative ways she connects students to the real world. She is dedicated to our profession of instilling a love of language and understanding of other cultures. She supports the intellectual, social, and personal development of her students, and her impact extends into the community.”