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Language Arts

Student Awards  & Recognition 2020

Congratulations Students

A Language Arts Division Tradition

For more than thirty years, with generous support from Bruce Swenson, former president of the FHDA Board of Trustees, the Language Arts Awards have brought students, faculty, staff and administrators from Foothill's English, Foreign Language, and ESL departments together to celebrate our shared creativity, courage, and commitment as a learning community.

Celebrating Student Words, Wisdom & Action

Instead of being based solely on grades or tests, these awards celebrate the words, wisdom, and actions of students for each quarter — all of whom have overcome enormous obstacles to achieve success in college. In addition, these same students have reached out to assist and inspire others to succeed and thrive as well.

Those who receive an award can feel proud that their professor carefully selected them for praise and acknowledgment from among many dozens or even hundreds of students. And they should know that the extra effort and care and love they poured into their classes is an inspiration to all of us.  

It is the privilege of the Language Arts division to honor the following students, each of whom has received an official Language Arts Award Certificate and a small financial token of our appreciation.

Student Awards Nominated by Our Department Professors 

Please join us in congratulating our 2020 students recognized for their contributions.

English

STUDENT FACULTY COURSE
Jacob Aho Stephanie Chan ENGL 1A
Jayme Albritton Scott Lankford ENGL 1C 
Kayla Campbell Natalia Menendez ENGL 1A
Luis Guzman Cisneros Benjamin Armerding ENGL 1A
Josh Contreras Susie Huerta ENGL 1B Puente Program 
Elizabeth Dally Amber La Piana ENGL 45B
Sarah El-Arabaty Kella Svetich ENGL 1AH
Noah Engel Ileana da Silva ENGL 1B
Caitlyn Elizabeth England Benjamin Armerding ENGL 1A
Tiffany Famero Stephanie Chan ENGL 1A
Alejandro Flores Natalia Menendez ENGL 1B
Leslie Gonzalez Amber La Piana ENGL 45B
Robian Ho Scott Lankford ENGL 1A
Clair Hsung Kella Svetich ENGL 1AH
Masaharu Inomata  Michelle McNeary  ENGL 1A + 201 
Tereza Kopcilova Amy Leonard  ENGL 1S
Richard Korbly Isabel M. Sperry ENGL 1A
Wei Cheng Lam Amber La Piana ENGL 1A + 246A
Marisela Landaverde Susie Huerta ENGL 1A
Jessica Lee Stephanie Chan ENGL 1A + 246A
Juan Marin-Melo Scott Lankford ENGL 1A
Ava Miller Ileana da Silva ENGL 1A
Nicholas Motamed Allison Herman  ENGL 1S
Mariana Cordero Murillo Allison Herman  ENGL 14
Anisha Patwardhan Samuel White ENGL 1BH
Chirayu (Jay-Jay) Phoemphoolsinchai Scott Lankford ENGL 1B
Elizabeth Ramirez Amber La Piana ENGL 45A
Rashi Ranka  Allison Herman  ENGL 1B
Abdullah Mohammed Saeed Allison Herman  ENGL 1A
Emily Garcia Sanchez Susie Huerta ENGL 31
Nathan Steiner Jim McDonald ENGL 1A
Priya Vasu Kella Svetich ENGL 1AH
Paige Walker Isabel M. Sperry ENGL 22
Min Jia Weng Amy Leonard  ENGL 1T
William Wunderlin Benjamin Armerding ENGL 1A
Aja Zaldivar Natalia Menendez ENGL 1B

English for Second Language Learners

STUDENT FACULTY COURSE
Alaa Alokbi Amy Sarver NCEL 405
Monica Estevez Cabanas Amy Sarver NCEL 426
Yuliet Casallas Robert Lanz NCEL 411
Gabriela Di Mauro Robert Lanz NCEL 400
Jennifer Gomez Robert Lanz NCEL 412
Hugo Hernandez Yuhan Kuo NCEL 422
Karla Landaverde Amy Sarver NCEL 471
Sheida Mehdizadeh Yuhan Kuo NCEL 421
Maricruz Rivas Solis Robert Lanz NCEL 413 
Mayra Tiguila Inna Aivazova ESL 226
Lixia Yan Yuhan Kuo NCEL 423

Foreign Languages

STUDENT FACULTY COURSE
Jessica Arner Rocío Giráldez Betrón SPAN 4
Tyler Bar-ness Fujiko Wortz JAPN 14B
Matthew Bevers Fujiko Wortz JAPN 1
Adelaide Bowen  Ikuko Rakow  JAPN 3
Tara Bryant Julio Rivera-Montanez SPAN 2
Kelly Erickson Patricia Crespo-Martin SPAN 1
Jindy Garfias Patricia Crespo-Martin SPAN 1
Gregory Georges Ikuko Rakow JAPN 3
Annette Golding Rocío Giráldez Betrón SPAN 4
Fayann Han Ikuko Rakow  JAPN 3
Dorianne Moss Rocío Giráldez Betrón SPAN 4
Fumi Okabayashi Julio Rivera-Montanez SPAN 1
Kelly Park Julio Rivera-Montanez SPAN 1
Madison Pearson Patricia Crespo-Martin SPAN 3
Nathan Sper Fujiko Wortz JAPN 13A

Teaching and Learning Center

STUDENT FACULTY COURSE
Ashley Azra Katie Ha NCCS 406
Andre Bouyssounouse Katie Ha NCCS 406
Maria Reyes Fabrigat Katie Ha NCCS 406
Bea White Katie Ha NCCS 406

Language Arts Special Scholarships

Thanks to the generosity of donors who are committed to honoring our students, we are proud to announce recipients of the following special scholarships.

Scholarship Criteria: Recipients were nominated by the faculty in the division and selected by a committee of division representatives.



Nancy G. Schrier Creative Writing Award ($1000)

Congratulations!

LUIS GARCIA
recipient of this year’s
Nancy Schrier Award

nominated by Susie Huerta

About the Scholarship: Nancy G. Schrier was an enthusiastic teacher at Foothill College for 25 years and enjoyed sharing her passion for poetry and fiction with students. The purpose of this fund is to provide annual award(s) to Foothill student(s) nominated and chosen by Foothill Language Arts faculty. Specifically, the award is for a student who has taken at least one English class in the current academic year and has demonstrated a passion for creative writing and/or poetry.  Special consideration is given to those students who have persevered in the face of challenges to pursue their education.


Video from faculty SUSIE HUERTA, nominating LUIS GARCIA

Jason Whitten Memorial Award for Outstanding English Students ($1000)

Congratulations!

SAMUEL GERARD FRALEY
recipient of this year’s
Jason Whitten Memorial Award

nominated by Natalia Menendez

About the Scholarship: This award honors a student who has taken at least one English class in the current academic year, has persevered in the face of challenges to pursue their education, and who has become an outstanding student in English as demonstrated through their writing. The student should have a passion for reading and writing but have also overcome adversity to succeed at Foothill.


Video from faculty NATALIA MENENDEZ, nominating SAMUEL GERARD FRALEY


Video with thank you from scholarship recipient SAMUEL GERARD FRALEY

Anne Paye Award for Demonstrated Facility with Language ($500)

Congratulations!

DANIEL YEPEZ
recipient of this year’s
Anne Paye Award for Demonstrated Facility with Language

nominated by  Amber La Piana

About the Scholarship: Over her long career as an English faculty member at Foothill College, Anne Paye evinced a profound appreciation for the novel use of language. This award is given to a Language Arts student who has demonstrated a similar love of language. The student’s writing may not have been perfect or free or error, but it showcased language in new, interesting, and/or exciting ways; the student might have marshaled unexpected evidence in support of an argument, or they may have turned a phrase so exactly that the reader was given pause to reflect. The student’s writing should call attention to itself both for its precision and its insight.


Video from faculty AMBER LA PIANA, nominating DANIEL YEPEZ



Video with thank you from scholarship recipient DANIEL YEPEZ

 

Fred H. McClure ESL Award (Two at $500)

Congratulations!

NIKOLINA IVANKO
nominated by Amy Leonard

&

THI PHAM
nominated by Claire Kolling

recipients of this year’s
Fred H. McClure ESL Award 
$500 each

About the Scholarship: This award is for non-native English speakers who have distinguished themselves in an ESLL or English class. This recognition should go to exemplary students whose work and work ethic demonstrated a commitment to learning and excelling. The students may not necessarily have been “A” students, but should have demonstrated through class work and participation an above average engagement in the learning process. The award recognizes the students’ determination to learn and grown, to highlight their persistence, perseverance, and eagerness to reach beyond the standard outcomes of a course.


Video from faculty AMY LEONARD, nominating NIKOLINA IVANKO

 

 


Video from faculty K.C. CROFT, nominating THI PHAM

Past Award Celebrations

6000 Building

Questions?
We're Here to Help!

Sheherazade Arasnia,  Language Arts Division

 arasniasheherazade@fhda.edu


Room 6406

Office Hours

Wednesday-Thursday: 8-4:30 p.m.

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