Vicky Xiong-Lor selected as CLTA’s Teacher of the Year!
CLTA is delighted to announce that Vicky Xiong-Lor, EdD., has been selected as the 2022 Teacher of the Year. Dr. Xiong-Lor, who is a lecturer in the Department of Literacy, Early, Bilingual, and Special Education in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at CSU Fresno, also currently teaches Hmong at both Clovis and Buchanan High Schools. Dr. Xiong-Lor holds a Single-Subject credential in Hmong; a Clear Administrative Services Credential; a Bilingual and Cross-Cultural credential; and a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from CSU Fresno.
Dr. Xiong-Lor was the recipient of the Outstanding Teacher award for CLTA in 2020. One of her colleagues at CSU Fresno described Dr. Xiong-Lor as someone who is “dedicated, passionate, and works tirelessly with others to effectively serve linguistically and culturally diverse communities in the San Joaquin Valley.” The Central California World Language Project (CCWLP), where Dr. Xiong-Lor is currently a lead facilitator for the Hmong Language Strand, stated that she is “the role model that every teacher should have. She is innovative and very creative with the variety of technological tools she utilizes to better serve students’ needs.” She has been a member of the CCWLP since its inception in 2014 and continues to reach and influence many language teachers in the Central Valley, both new and experienced, in their understandings of what effective world language instructions is.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Xiong-Lor has contributed to several causes and organizations, most recently serving on the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Committee in 2019, as well as the Hmong Literacy Standards Committee, beginning in 2019 and continuing today. In the latter, she has been able to work with Hmong teachers and leaders in other states, such as Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as her colleagues here in California, to design and implement literacy standards in the Hmong classroom. Dr. Xiong-Lor has served on the Coalition of Asian American Leaders, also in 2019, and currently is the Education Chair and Scholarship Coordinator for the Hmong Cultural New Year Celebration Inc, beginning as a member in 2017.
Dr. Xiong-Lor is no stranger to language advocacy and language education awareness, both inside and outside of the classroom. She has made numerous presentations, which include ones for the Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Language and Culture; the Stanford Hmong Student HmongX, the Fresno City College Asian and Pacific Islander Celebration of Success; Hmong National Development; and the Hmong READS Program, among others.
Please join everyone at CLTA in congratulating Dr. Vicky Xiong-Lor on this well-deserved achievement. Dr. Xiong-Lor will be a keynote speaker at our upcoming Summer Seminar and will also be representing California at SWCOLT 2022.
California Teachers of the Year
2021 Ryan Bosson is a Spanish Teacher in the Del Mar Union School District and former lead member with the Monterey Bay World Language Project. He consults on unit design with an emphasis on global competence.
2020 Maggie Chen teaches full-time IB Mandarin Chinese at Granada Hills Charter TK8 Program
2019 Iman Hashem is an instructor of Arabic at CSU Long Beach, CA; Program Director for California World Language Project at Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA; STARTALK consultant, evaluator, and team-leader
2018 Nancy Pérez is a Spanish AP language and AP literature teacher, instructional lead, Club advisor, mentor, and Department Chair at El Diamante High School in Visalia California. She is also the CCWLP Site Director.
2017 Ying Jin teaches Chinese Language and Culture at Cupertino High School, Homestead High School and Fremont High School, all in the Fremont Union High School District in Sunnyvale.
2016 Liz Matchett, Spanish teacher at Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto.
2015 Don Doehla, French teacher at Vintage High School, Napa.
2014 Nicole Naditz, French teacher at Bella Vista High School, Fair Oaks.
2013 Kerstin Helbing, German teacher at Gunn High School, Palo Alto.
2012 Cynthia Leathers, Spanish teacher at Redondo Union High School, Redondo Beach.
2011 Yo Azama, Japanese teacher at North Salinas High School, Salinas.
2010 Kerstin Helbing, German teacher at Gunn High School, Palo Alto.
2009 Evelyne Charvier-Berman, French professor at El Camino College, Torrance.
2008 Gloria Payette, Spanish teacher at Freedom High School, Oakley.
2007 Jamin Lynch, German teacher at Independence High School, San Jose.
2006 Christine Lanphere, French teacher at Natomas High School, Natomas.
2005 [No SWCOLT Teacher of the Year competition was held this year.]
2004 Tanya Zaccone, Spanish Teacher at Center High School, Antelope.
Please contact exec-director@clta.net for any changes or additions to this list. Thank you!
