NYS TESOL Member of the Month
In celebration of all that you do, NYS TESOL launched the Member of the Month program at the 2014 Annual Conference to honor and recognize the volunteer service of our members. The many diverse and valuable contributions above and beyond ones daily job support our colleagues and our students and their families.
- Do you know a super teacher who spends hours of after school time supporting his/ her students with classwork, extra-curricular activities or college and scholarship applications?
Is there someone in your network who is always available as the go-to person for anyone who has questions about ELLs or TESOL?
Do you have a colleague who volunteers regularly to serve on committees in support of our educator colleagues or our ELL students?
Eligibility: Nominee is a current NYS TESOL Member.
Selection Criteria: Nominee demonstrates a commitment to the field.
Rewards: In addition to 12 months of recognition on our website, each year the 12 Members of the Month will be entered into a Raffle for a complimentary registration to the NYS TESOL Annual Conference.
Process: Click the link above and tell us about your nominee's contributions to the field and/or our community of educators and students. The NYS TESOL membership committee will review the entries and select the monthly winner!
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Meet Our NYS TESOL Member of the Month for February 2024!
Joy Scantlebury
"English language learners arrive with a wealth of experience!"
I strive to integrate their language and prior knowledge into my lessons to create a positive educational environment through music, storytelling, and games.
I have always been interested in different cultures and second language acquisition, having gone to Sao Paulo, Brazil as a student ambassador while a junior in high school. As an undergraduate
student at Smith College with a minor in Spanish, I also traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica, where I
volunteered at a day care center. In Brazil, I acquired a working knowledge of Portuguese, and
in Costa Rica, Spanish.
"I realized the importance of living the language, which has subsequently helped me to understand some of the challenges my students face in learning English."
After graduating from Smith College, I earned my MA in TESOL from Teachers College,
Columbia University and an MS in Education from SUNY New Paltz.
I have taught ENL at Pocantico Hills School in Sleepy Hollow, NY for sixteen years, where I have served on the diversity and global dimensions committees. I am also a board member of the Westchester Martin Luther King, Jr. Institute for Nonviolence, and a member of the Westchester Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.
Along with my colleague, Marina Lombardo, I wrote the article, Tapping Into English Language
Learners’ Superpowers Through Creative Storytelling. This chapter is featured in the NYS
TESOL e-book, Supporting Student Success Through Community Asset Mapping, edited by
Nicole Bell, Jasmin Cowin, and former NYS TESOL president, Ching-Ching Lin. I also
contributed the story, Bajan Memories: Always in My Heart, to the collection Growing Up in an
Immigrant Household and Community, edited by Vicky Giouroukakis of Molloy University.
In my free time, I enjoy playing the piano, reading, and writing.
NYS TESOL is a wonderful community of dedicated educators, and it has been an important part
of my life since I started my career as an ENL teacher. I am truly honored to be recognized as
NYS TESOL Member of the Month.
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Meet Our NYS TESOL Member of the Month for January 2024!
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"I am excited to build connections not only with my students, but their families as well so they feel empowered with a voice in their education."
I am an ENL teacher at Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES in Upstate NY. Prior to teaching, I ran a daycare and was a foster parent. After adopting my daughter, who requires specialized instruction, I discovered how difficult it was to advocate for a child's needs in the school system. I am inspired by those who stepped up to help when I was lost and hope to be that same light for others.
My desire is to make a difference in the lives of those I encounter by meeting them where they are and honoring who they are.
Working collaboratively with families and fellow teachers, creating lifelong connections, and providing students and their families with the support they need is essential to the growth of our community.
I am excited to build connections not only with my students, but their families as well so they feel empowered with a voice in their education. I enjoy attending a variety of professional development opportunities, working with classroom teachers to make learning accessible for my students, and investigating opportunities for them within their community.
It is a blessing to have such wonderful individuals in my life. Their presence makes all the difference. I am humbled to be recognized as the NYS TESOL Member of the Month.
Melissa Ridley
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Celebrating Our Past Members of the Month
December 2023
Maria Nicolaus
NYC Region
November 2023
Kelly Aldinger
Western Region
October 2023
Sabine Murphy
Western Region
September 2023
Lisa Morales
NYC Region
August 2023
Janie Thomas
NYC Region
Jaileen Vargas
Jennifer Raponi
Rosemary Rutigliano
Tracie Fishman
August 2022
June 2022
Collette Farone-Goodwin
May 2020
Carrie Martin
Binghamton/ Syracuse Region
Rochester/Syracuse Region