Megan Brady, OFLA President 2024-2025
Spanish Teacher, Northwest High School

It’s February already?! The past year has been remarkable for our organization. Our Leadership Academy continues to flourish, with cohorts of passionate educators developing their skills and preparing to guide our profession into the future. We also demonstrated our collective strength when we successfully advocated to protect world languages from being replaced by religion classes in our schools. Your swift action and unified voice on this crucial matter helped preserve the importance of language education in our curriculum – thank you for your dedication to this urgent cause.

As we look ahead, we’re excited to announce an extraordinary conference that promises to be our most innovative yet. Under the theme “Bringing Languages Alive in 2025,” we’ve designed an experience that will inspire and energize your teaching practice while providing practical tools for your classroom.

One of our featured highlights is the immersive cooking classes at the prestigious Mitchell Hall, named after renowned restaurateur Cameron Mitchell. In these state-of-the-art kitchens, participants will create authentic recipes from various cultures, learning not just about food preparation but also the language and traditions behind each dish. The best part? These carefully selected recipes are designed to be recreated in your classroom, allowing you to share this cultural experience with your students the following week. It’s a perfect example of how we’re bringing languages alive in 2025!

The International Market/World Fair promises to be another unforgettable experience. Featuring dedicated tents for Russian, Japanese, French, Spanish, and German cultures, each space will offer an engaging combination of games, craft projects, and traditional treats. Participants will earn tickets through various activities, which can then be redeemed for culinary delights from around the world. Activities also come with instructions for classroom recreation, ensuring that the spirit of the World Fair lives on in your teaching. And yes, there will be a cash bar featuring international beverages for those who wish to sample drinks from around the globe!

Speaking of celebrations, we’re honored to announce that our keynote presentation will feature the Camp OFLA staff, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. This interactive session, scheduled for Saturday, will include exciting prizes and promises to capture the vibrant spirit that has made Camp OFLA such a beloved institution in our community. We look forward to sharing all of this with you, as well as sharing opportunities to get involved in a variety of ways!

Don’t forget to bring cash for our raffle! We have an impressive array of prizes up for grabs, with all proceeds supporting our scholarship fund. This is your chance to win while contributing to the future of language education. We were all new teachers once, so let’s rally to support them!

Beyond these special events, the conference offers an extensive program of over 70 sessions and 10 workshops, covering a wide range of topics and teaching methodologies. Our exhibitor hall will showcase the latest resources and technologies to enhance your classroom experience.

Join us as we celebrate and innovate together. This conference isn’t just about professional development – it’s about coming together as a community to share our passion for language education and cultural understanding. Together, we’ll explore innovative ways to bring languages alive in 2025, creating meaningful connections and inspiring the next generation of global citizens.

Mark your calendars and register today. Let’s make 2025 a year of transformation, innovation, and celebration in world language education!