Foreign Language Award for Gordon College Graduate Student

“Being an immigrant is not an easy task,” says Peruvian native Maria (Mapi) Latusky, a resident of Danvers. “You start from zero and there are many challenges to overcome. However, you become stronger and more courageous. With perseverance, discipline, and hard work, you can reach your dreams anywhere you are.”

Most recently for Latusky, a graduate student at Gordon College, that involved being selected by the Massachusetts Foreign Language Association (MaFLA) as the recipient of the Helen G. Agbay New Teacher Graduate Study Scholarship, an award for foreign language teachers enrolled in master’s degree programs.

Since arriving in the U.S. over a decade years ago, “I have come to appreciate my Latin background, my homeland of Peru and learning new things,” says Latusky, a teacher of Spanish who is also proficient in Quechua.

“After I realized that teaching my native language and culture was my passion in life, I decided to go back to school to carry on my teaching abilities and skills on a professional level,” she says. “I feel very fortunate to find such a nice community where they help you to become not just a successful teacher, but a role model for the world.”

Latusky works in the Foreign Languages Department and teaches Spanish to fifth-through eighth-graders at the Marblehead Community Charter Public School. Last year Latusky was featured on CNN en Español for her work with the Accessible Icon Project making her school the first Charter school in the country to use the new icon.

Latusky is pursuing a Master of Education degree at Gordon College. “It is exciting to see that Maria Latusky, one of our Gordon College graduate students, is being recognized by the Massachusetts Foreign Language Association for her graduate level studies to develop her skills as a Spanish teacher,” says director of graduate education Dr. Janet Arndt. “The support from this organization acknowledges Maria’s effort and commitment to the teaching profession.”

The MaFLA is a nonprofit service organization committed to the professional growth of its members and to the promotion of quality foreign language teaching and learning from kindergarten through the college level and beyond. Latusky will be honored at the 2016 Annual Convention and World Languages Expo Awards Ceremony at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in November.