Woodville-Tompkins teacher Bertha Delgadillo, has been named a Top 5 Finalist for 2025 National Teacher of the Year by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).  This honor follows Ms. Delgadillo being named State Teacher of the Year last year by the Foreign Language Association of Georgia (FLAG), which placed her in the regional competition for the Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT).

SCOLT Named Ms. Delgadillo Teacher of the Year for the region this past Spring.  SCOLT is one of fourteen regions that make up the national ACTFL organization.  Each state in the fourteen region may send one state language Teacher of the Year nominee to the regional conference.  Mrs. Delgadillo was one of nine outstanding educators nominated this year before being named Teacher of the Year.

The ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year Program is designed to recognize excellence in classroom language teaching and to heighten public awareness of the benefits of language learning for students of all ages.  The Language Teacher of the Year becomes a national spokesperson for the language education professions, further demonstrating to the general public the critical importance of learning languages and cultures.

The letter of recognition sent to SCCPSS Superintendent Dr. Denise Watts stated that as a finalist, Ms. Delgadillo has shown “exceptional dedication, innovation, and profound impact in the field of world language education”.

She underwent a rigorous evaluation process that began at the state level and continued at the regional level, culminating in her being named one of five U.S. Regional finalists.  As part of that process, Ms. Delgadillo submitted a portfolio that included video segments from her classroom teaching, supportive statements from colleagues and students, evidence of student work, and her professional accomplishment.  She will participate in a live interview with the Teacher of the Year selection committee at the 2024 ACTFL National Convention and World Language Expo to be held in Philadelphia in November.