2020 NYS TESOL Award Recipients
Student Art Contest
This award recognizes outstanding student artwork to be used for the annual conference program. The winning student is honored along with their teacher at the NYS TESOL Annual Conference. Submissions must be a piece of original 2-dimensional artwork in any medium, fitting the conference theme. All of the Student Art Contest entries can be viewed by clicking HERE.
Nissagui Genico
Student, Mamaroneck High School
Sonal Patel-Sheth
Teacher, Mamaroneck High School
Student Digital Story Contest
This award recognizes outstanding piece of student digital storytelling to be used for the annual conference program. The winning students (in 3 categories) are honored along with their teachers at the NYS TESOL Annual Conference. Submissions must be a piece of original work in digital media, fitting the conference theme.
Grades 6-8 Winner
Grades 9-12 Winner
Adult Winner
Baraka Doukoure
Student, St. Hope Leadership Academy
Xiaobin Lin
Student, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School
Saki Sonoda
Student, NYPL Adult English Language and Literacy program
Frederic Bernal Lim
ELL Coordinator and Coach,
St. Hope Leadership Academy
Leighton Suen
Teacher, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School
Ivana Ferguson
Teacher, NYPL Adult English Language and Literacy program
Teacher Materials Grant
The Teacher Materials Grants Program provides funding for projects or experiences which directly enrich students‘ language, academic, and cultural learning experiences. ESL/ENL learners may be of any age or level. Three grants are awarded, and winners are honored at the NYS TESOL 50th Annual Conference.
Grades K-12
Adult Ed
Higher Ed
Madelyn Torres
ENL Chairperson/Teacher for the Lynbrook, NY Public Schools
Peggy O'Hanlon
ESOL Coordinator, Port Washington Public Library
Mark Romig
ESL Teacher at The English Language Center at CUNY LaGuardia
Outstanding Teacher Award
This award honors a teacher who motivates and encourages students as well as engaging them in productive and challenging learning with effective lesson strategies, fair evaluation techniques, and community involvement.
James A. Lydon Distinguished Service Award
This award honors a NYS TESOL member who goes beyond fulfilling the responsibilities of an office and represents service in a variety of capacities, demonstrating a distinguished service record to the organization.
Brigitte Pittarelli
ENL Teacher, Binghamton City School District
Lubie Alatriste
James E. Weaver Award
This award recognizes a teacher who epitomizes the professional and personal integrity and commitment that James E. Weaver so strongly personified.
Baecher Teacher Leadership Award
This award recognizes a teacher leader who makes contributions beyond the classroom (at the school, district, regional level) to support the academic and social well-being of English learners in New York state.
Kelly Aldinger
Clarkson University and Okte Elementary School in Shenendehowa Central Schools
Christine Passarelli
PS 22, NYC Department of Education
Recognition Award
This award recognizes officials who have acted as friends and allies to further the profession of TESOL and facilitate and foster the English-language acquisition of NYS students.
Katherine Rodriguez-Agüero
NYC DOE Queens Instructional Coordinator D24
Carlos B. Sánchez
Executive Director, Hudson Valley RBERN at SWBOCES in Harrison, NY
Lifetime Achievement Award
This award honors a member of NYS TESOL who has shown dedication to the profession of TESOL, and the advancement of English Language Learnersand who is now retiring or making a transition from their long, distinguished career in ESOL teaching.
Dr. Rosa E. Lien
Director for the ENL/Bilingual Programs,
Central Islip School District
Mary Ann Daugherty
ENL Teacher, Vestal Hills Elementary
Student Awards Committee: Greg Kilpatrick, Mary Sandoval, Danielle Cerbone, Yanira Stoker, Joanna Fogarassi, Shannon Hilliker, Annabelle Afanador-Vega and Viviana Sitz
Educator Awards Committee: Helaine Marshall, Stephanie Chiu, Shannon Hilliker and Laura Dohner