Through our Hall of Fame in ESL Teacher Education, we congratulate the many UAB students and alumni who have earned awards, honors, and distinctions. However, in order to make sure that our ESL Hall of Fame includes all award winners, we need everyone's help. We look forward to hearing from you about any other award-winning UAB students and alumni so that their names can also be added to our Hall of Fame.
Dr. Susan Spezzini, Program Director and Professor of English Learner Education.Hannah Rodgers, UAB alumna and ESL Teacher at Pelham Middle School in Pelham, Alabama, participated in the National Education Association Foundation's Global Learning Fellowship program in 2018. The fellowship included a full year of professional development focused on global education, a workshop in Washington, DC, and a 9-day international field study in South Africa. Hannah is pictured here visiting Table Mountain in Capetown, South Africa.
Sarah Hicks, UAB alumna and ESL Teacher at Thompson Middle School in Alabaster, Alabama, was one of 35 educators from the United States and Canada to be selected for the 10th annual class of National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellows in 2016. The Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program gives K-12 classroom teachers the opportunity to foster excellence in geographic education. Exemplary educators like Sarah Hicks are recognized for their commitment to geographic education and given the opportunity to travel aboard the Lindblad-National Geographic fleet, giving educators the chance to enhance their geographic knowledge with hands-on field experience and bring that knowledge back to their classrooms and local communities.
UAB Awards
UAB SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AWARDS - ESL GRADUATE PROGRAM OUTSTANDING STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
2020
Honors Student
Courtney Glenon
Hanceville
Outstanding Educational Specialist
Emily Day
Gadsden City Schools
Outstanding Master's
Anna Suthoff
Opelika City Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Christy Iwuaba
Birmingham City Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Lantong Huang
China
Outstanding Alumna
Julie Caine
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Service
Heath Grimes
Superintendent, Russellville City
2019
Honors Student
Yuehui Hwang
China (INTO Pathways)
Outstanding Educational Specialist
Emily Blackstock
Homewood City Schools
Outstanding Master's
Kaitlyn Allen
Birmingham City Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Diana Hilton
Gadsden City Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Courtney Jeffries
UAB (Passport office)
Outstanding Alumna
Hannah Rodgers
Pelham City Schools
Outstanding Service
Lorrie Bowman
Attala City Schools
2018
Honors Student
Candace Cooper
Jasper City Schools
Outstanding Educational Specialist
Melinda Harrison
UAB English Dept.
Outstanding Master's
B. DeAnna Logan
Jefferson County Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Donna Hall
Tarrant City Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Brian Rice
Peace Corps, Ecuador
Outstanding Alumna
Julie Paul
UAB Project IMPACT-PD
Outstanding Service
Rebecca Oxford
UAB (also UA and U/Maryland-CP)
2017
Honors Student
Gonul Uguralp
Istanbul, Turkey
Outstanding Educational Specialist
Melissa Hawkins
INTO UAB English Language Programs
Outstanding Master's
Lauren Craddock
Tuscaloosa
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Tanya Hiers
Jefferson County Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Josephine Cox
INTO UAB English Language Programs
Outstanding Alumna
Marcia Farabee
Etowah County Schools
Outstanding Service
Lari Valtierra
Jefferson County Schools
2016
Honors Student
Monica Cantwell
INTO UAB English Language Programs
Outstanding Educational Specialist
Holly Blain
Eufala City Schools
Outstanding Master's
Gwendolyn Ramos
Enterprise City Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Elizabeth House
Decatur City Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Stephen Rowlett
The Literacy Council of Central Alabama
Outstanding Alumna
Ann Marie Batista
Huntsville City Schools
Outstanding Service
Dely Roberts
ALSDE Federal Programs Title III - ELL
2015
Honors Student
Sarah Frisbie
ELLI - Samford University
Outstanding Master's
Vann Edge
Etowah County Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Devin Melton
Bessemer City Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Megan Gilliland
English Language Institute - UAB
Outstanding Alumna
Maggie Jensen
Vestavia City Schools
Outstanding Service
Julia Austin
UAB (retired)
2014
Honors Student
Monte Erwin
ELLI - Samford University
Outstanding Educational Specialist
Holly Hubbard
Etowah County Schools
Outstanding Master's
Daphne Kennedy
Jasper City Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Susie DuBois
Birmingham City Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Neva Garner
UAB research
Outstanding Alumna
Sandi Prater
ELLI - Samford University
Outstanding Service
Kathy Nichol
Baldwin County Schools
2013
Honors Student
Nancy Blanco
Lee County Schools
Outstanding Master's
Chad Strawn
Etowah County Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Virginia Crittenden
Birmingham City Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Oscar Garcia
Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
Outstanding Alumna
Kelly Hill
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Service
Cindy Hunt
Decatur City Schools
2012
Honors Student
Christa Hill
Etowah County Schools
Outstanding Master's
Tammy Davis
Enterprise City Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Frankie Perez
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Linda DeRocher
The Literacy Council, Birmingham
Outstanding Alumna
Mary Earley
Shelby County Schools
2011
Outstanding Master's
Candace Hatcher
Huntsville City Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Rhonda Gregg
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Sherine Wahba
UAB ELCI
Outstanding Alumna
Jenny Duckworth
Mercer University, Atlanta
2010
Outstanding Master's
Karen Hill
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Tyler Bryant
Birmingham City Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Lucy Dingledy
Jefferson State Community College
Outstanding Alumna
Jennifer Williams
Dekalb County Schools
2009
Outstanding Master's
Monica Coe
Walker County Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Marie Sandoval
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Margariette Hoomes
UAB Graduate School
Outstanding Alumna
Karen Snyder
Auburn City Schools
2008
Outstanding Master's
Esther P. Cunill
Jefferson County Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Abby Becker
Homewood City Schools
Outstanding Master's Non-Certification
Bryan Lowry
UAB ELCI
Outstanding Alumna
Cindy Cox
Shelby County Schools
2007
Outstanding Master's
Sevim Whitaker
Hoover City Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Cheryl Jones
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Alumna
Judy Wright
Calhoun County Schools
2006
Outstanding Master's
Jan Renfro
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Naomi Abe
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Alumna
Anne Betbeze
Birmingham City Schools
2005
Outstanding Master's
Shay Stewart
Baldwin County Schools
Outstanding Alternative Master's
Jennifer Greer
Shelby County Schools
Outstanding Alumna
Alice Owens
Alexander City Schools
ALSDE EL Specialist
EL SPECIALISTS FOR ALABAMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
2020
Cheryl Michelle Lee
Education/EL Specialist
Mayte Cotton
Montgomery Public Schools
Rebecca Padin
Birmingham City Schools
Susan Penton
Geneva County Schools
Robin Stutts
Madison City Schools
2019
Cheryl Michelle Lee
Education/EL Specialist
Mayte Cotton
Montgomery Public Schools
Susan Penton
Geneva County Schools
Robin Stutts
Madison City Schools
Krista Whatley
Bessemer City Schools
2018
Cheryl Michelle Lee
Education/EL Specialist
Debbie Baeder
Madison City Schools
Mayte Cotton
Montgomery Public Schools
Susan Penton
Geneva County Schools
Robin Stutts
Madison City Schools
Krista Whatley
Bessemer City Schools
2017
Cheryl Michelle Lee
Education/EL Specialist
Debbie Baeder
Madison City Schools
Mayte Cotton
Montgomery Public Schools
Susan Penton
Geneva County Schools
Robin Stutts
Madison City Schools
Krista Whatley
Bessemer City Schools
2016
Debbie Baeder
Madison City Schools
Cheryl Michele Lee
Birmingham City Schools
Susan Penton
Geneva County Schools
Robin Stutts
Madison City Schools
Krista Whatley
Bessemer City Schools
2015
Cheryl Michele Lee
Birmingham City Schools
Debbie Baeder
Madison City Schools
Robin Stutts
Madison City Schools
Krista Whatley
Bessemer City Schools
2014
Cheryl Michele Lee
Birmingham City Schools
Debbie Baeder
Madison City Schools
Krista Whatley
Bessemer City Schools
2013
Meko Venegas
Oxford City Schools
Krista Whatley
Bessemer City Schools
Sevim Whitaker
Hoover City Schools
2012
Meko Venegas
Oxford City Schools
Sevim Whitaker
Hoover City Schools
2011
Kim Mattox
Oxford City Schools
Sevim Whitaker
Hoover City Schools
2010
Linda Harris
Baldwin County Schools
Kim Mattox
Oxford City Schools
Sevim Whitaker
Hoover City Schools
2009
Cindy Hunt
Decatur City Schools
Other
OTHER AWARDS AND HONORS
US Department of State Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms travel grant
2018
Abby Becker
ESL Teacher
Hall-Kent Elementary (Homewood City)
National Education Association Global Learning Fellowship
2018
M. Hannah Rodgers
ESL Teacher
Pelham Park Middle School
National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow
2016
Sarah Hicks
ESL Teacher
Thompson Middle (Shelby County)
Motivating Woman's Award, Birmingham International Center
2014
Georgia Miller
ESL Teacher
Homewood Middle (Homewood City)
Nominee for Alabama Teacher Hall of Fame (awarded by Jacksonville State University)
2014
Danelle Cash
French Teacher
Hoover High (Hoover City)
2008
Sevim Whitaker
ESL Teacher
Rocky Ridge Elementary (Hoover City)
US Department of State English Language Fellow
2010
Carey Chappell
ESL Teacher
Shelton State Community College
Outstanding New Teacher of the Year
2011
Darcie Miller
ESL Teacher
Austin High (Decatur City)
2010
Darcie Bouvier
ESL Teacher
Austin High (Decatur City)
Support Staff of the Year
2010
Frankie Perez
ESL Bilingual Aide
Thompson High (Shelby County)
Rotary Club Teacher of the Year
2009
Anne Betbeze
ESL Teacher
EPIC Elementary (Birmingham City)
Tyler Bryant
ESL Teacher
Glen Iris Elementary (Birmingham City)
2002
Jenny Harvey
ESL Teacher
Homewood High (Homewood City)
Center for Urban Education, Advanced Studies Scholarship
2010
Cindy Ponder
ESL Teacher
Kermit Johnson Elementary (Jefferson County)