Bartow Middle Spanish teacher Luisa Meyer has been named the Florida Foreign Language Association's (FFLA) Teacher of the Year.
Meyer is the first teacher from Polk County Public Schools to receive the honor. PCPS nominated her for the award, and she was selected as the winner after a review of her teaching resume and interview with FFLA officials.
Dr. Pablo Martinez Torres, who heads PCPS' World Languages program, had extensive praise for Meyer. He noted that she is a veteran educator who has taken a leadership role in implementing new teaching methodologies in our district, and said that Bartow Middle's Spanish program is widely respected within PCPS.
“She's been extremely inspirational for the teachers of our county and other districts,” Martinez Torres said. “She's someone who most of my teachers follow, they're always looking for what practices she's implementing. She's always willing to help others and advocate for the program at Bartow Middle.”
Meyer (pictured second from left) was honored at the FFLA conference in Kissimmee this week and was joined by Lake Gibson High Spanish teacher Natalie McSwain, the 2023 Polk County Teacher of the Year.