Grateful and Honored to Receive the 2026 New World Language Educator of the Year Award

I am deeply honored to receive the 2026 New World Language Educator of the Year Award from the Nebraska Language Association (NEBLA) in recognition of my work in world language education. 

This recognition is especially meaningful to me because teaching a language goes far beyond vocabulary, grammar, and communication. It is about building bridges across cultures, fostering intercultural understanding, and helping students discover the histories, identities, and perspectives that languages carry. 

As an Arabic teacher at Lincoln Northeast High School, I am grateful for the opportunity to support my students as they develop their Arabic proficiency, explore the richness and diversity of Arab cultures, and connect their learning to the world around them. I am equally proud of our Arabic program and the creativity, dedication, and curiosity our students bring to the classroom.

My sincere thanks go to NEBLA for this recognition, to my colleagues and school community at Lincoln Public Schools for their continued support, and to everyone who has encouraged and contributed to my work. Most importantly, I thank my students, whose growth, achievements, and enthusiasm continually remind me why this work matters.

I see this award not only as a personal milestone but also as an encouragement to continue advocating for world language education, heritage language development, and more inclusive, culturally responsive approaches to teaching and learning.

I look forward to continuing this journey with my students and colleagues, strengthening our Arabic program, and contributing to a learning environment in which languages and cultures are valued as essential bridges to understanding one another.

Thank you for this meaningful honor!

#NEBLA2026 #WorldLanguageEducation #ArabicLanguage #HeritageLanguageEducation #InterculturalCommunication #LincolnPublicSchools