Photo submitted by Laurah Jurca
The U.S. Department of State has announced the selection of Laurah Jurca, ELD Instructional coach in Prince George’s County Public Schools, for a 10-month fellowship project training teachers and teaching English in Peru at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Jurca is one of only 200 U.S. citizens selected for the 2024-2025 English Language Fellow Program.
Jurca graduated from Lord Botetourt High School in 2002, going on to Carson-Newman University to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and Spanish in 2006. After completing undergraduate studies, Jurca earned a Master of Science in ESL Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2008. She has been a passionate educator of English learners in the U.S. public school system since 2008, working with students from all over the world in grades K-8.
The English Language Fellow Program is the premier opportunity for experienced teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) to enact meaningful and sustainable changes in the way that English is taught abroad, and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) with funding provided by the U.S. government. Through projects developed by U.S. Embassies in more than 80 countries, Fellows work directly with local teachers, students, and educational professionals to improve the quality of English language instruction offered at prestigious universities and other academic institutions.
Since 1969, the English Language Fellow Program has sent thousands of TESOL scholars and educators abroad to promote English language learning, enhance English teaching capacity, and foster mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries through cultural exchange. On assignment, Fellows teach English, conduct teacher training, develop resources, and organize events and conferences. These projects are challenging and the teachers selected represent the best of the U.S. TESOL community. In return, the program provides professional development opportunities to help participants experience different cultures and build skills that can greatly enhance their TESOL careers back home.
English Language Fellows are counted among the more than 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The Fellow Program is administered by the Center for Intercultural Education and Development at Georgetown University.
~ Fincastle Herald staff report
