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RIFLA Awards
RIFLA offers a large number of awards to both students and teachers. Applicants must be RIFLA members in good standing or students of RIFLA members in good standing. Click on the award name below, edit and then submit your awards application electronically by following the directions on the document.
Awards for Teachers Open to outstanding educators from within RIFLA membership.The Mary L. Borra Excellence Award John O. Pastore Teacher Study Stipend Novice Teacher Award Lee Stetson Teacher Professional Development Stipend Open to all current RIFLA members who will be teaching during the upcoming school year. $500 prize. | Awards for StudentsRIFLA Elementary / Middle Grades Annual Poster Contest Open to all elementary and middle grades students whose teachers are members of RIFLA. Awards will be made for the best poster of grades K-4 and grades 5-8. $50 prize. RIFLA High School Multimedia Contest Open to high school students whose teachers are members of RIFLA. $100 prize. RIFLA College Study Stipend Open to high school world language students with outstanding academic performance whose teachers are members of RIFLA. $500 prize. | Community Awards The RIFLA Advocacy Award Dr. Garnett was also a tireless advocate for foreign language in the elementary school. Her work in this area resulted in the first after school language program for students in grades 3 through 6. Open to a community member outside of the field of language education who has demonstrated advocacy for the development and/or betterment of world language study. |
2025 RIFLA Awards Winners
RIFLA Student of the Year 2025
Juliana Molina, from Cranston High School East, is the RIFLA Student of the Year 2025. Juliana's world language teachers are Mrs. Dulci Benros and Mrs. Heather Dimaio. The awards committee was very impressed with Juliana’s high level of proficiency in multiple languages, her self motivation and promotion of languages as seen by her initiative to learn new languages over the pandemic, and her commitment to promoting languages in her future studies and work. We are so encouraged by Juliana’s passion to pursue World Language education.
RIFLA Middle School Poster Award 2025
RIFLA is pleased to offer Benjamin Bickford from Jamestown Lawn School the Middle School Poster Contest Award for 2025. Benjamin's teacher is RIFLA member Michaela Onosko. The awards committee was highly impressed by Benjamin’s artistic talent and the powerful message promoting equitable access to language learning for all students.
RIFLA Elementary School Poster Award 2025
RIFLA is proud to present the 2025 Elementary School Poster Contest Award to Emma Sacco from Springbrook Elementary School. Emma’s teacher, Dori Carpenter, is a valued RIFLA member. The awards committee was especially impressed by Emma’s creativity and the powerful message she conveyed about making language learning accessible to every student.
The High School Multimedia Award 2025
Anthony Reynoso, a senior at Paul Cuffee Upper School in Providence, was selected as the winner of the 2025 High School Multimedia Production Contest with his outstanding entry on the theme Multilingual Rhode Island. Watch Anthony's production here.
The Mary L. Borra Excellence Award 2025
RIFLA was proud to present the Mary L. Borra Excellence Award to Yiping Zhang, Associate Teaching Professor of Chinese in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Rhode Island. This scholarship supports initiatives by students and educators that enrich learning, foster engagement beyond the classroom, deepen cultural and intercultural understanding, and highlight the importance of studying world languages. The awards committee was very impressed by Yiping Zhang's work on the project “Blind Dating Show.”
Lee Stetson Professional Development Stipend 2025
Amanda Meredith from East Greenwich High School was awarded the Lee Stetson Professional Development Award, earning the opportunity to attend the NECTFL Conference in February 2025 in New York City.
John O. Pastore Teacher Study Stipend 2025
Kristen Adams from Tiverton Middle School was awarded the 2025 John O. Pastore Teacher Study Stipend. With this support, she will participate in the Spanish Teacher Training Program for Teachers of Spanish as a Second Language, offered through the International Courses at the University of Salamanca, further enhancing her skills and knowledge in Spanish language education.
RIFLA World Languages Teacher of the Year 2025 will be announced in the Fall of 2025