Spanish student honored with recognition
Andrew Dover
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News
Gilbert Lewis, a Spanish education major, has been chosen as the university student of the year by the Georgia chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP-GA).
"I am very proud and thankful that I was nominated," Lewis said.
Lewis demonstrates his talent and love for Spanish both on campus and in his community.
"Gilbert (Lewis)serves as a role model to Americans because he has been able to become near-native fluent in Spanish without leaving this area, which is truly amazing," said Jana Sandarg, professor of Spanish.
Some of his language experience beyond the class room includes participating as an member of the Spanish Club, tutoring students in Spanish at Augusta State, working as a translator and writing for the local bilingual newspaper, "Hola."
"I like to use my language to translate for friends and for casual conversation at Borders(Bookstore)," Lewis said.
Lewis began speaking Spanish in seventh grade and said what interested him the most at the time was "having lots of friends who spoke Spanish.
"I thought it would be cool to understand their language and culture," he said.
Lewis gave this advice to students who are interested or trying to learn Spanish:
"Get as much input as you can by just being around the language and people as much as possible," he said.
According to Lewis, although Spanish is his language of choice, if he were to take another language he said that he would pick all French next.
Lewis' honors and awards include winning the rating of "Super" in his essay in the 2008 Composition Contest, receiving sponsorship from AATSP-GA and receiving the Hispanic Outstanding Leadership Award (HOLA) for Youth Leader.
In April, Lewis became a member of Alpha Mu Gamma, the national collegiate foreign language honor society. When Lewis finishes school he said that he plans to teach, preferably college.
Lewis will be recognized for his achievements in Spanish with a plaque from the Georgia chapter of the American Association of Teacher of Spanish and Portuguese.
"I am very proud and thankful that I was nominated," Lewis said.
Lewis demonstrates his talent and love for Spanish both on campus and in his community.
"Gilbert (Lewis)serves as a role model to Americans because he has been able to become near-native fluent in Spanish without leaving this area, which is truly amazing," said Jana Sandarg, professor of Spanish.
Some of his language experience beyond the class room includes participating as an member of the Spanish Club, tutoring students in Spanish at Augusta State, working as a translator and writing for the local bilingual newspaper, "Hola."
"I like to use my language to translate for friends and for casual conversation at Borders(Bookstore)," Lewis said.
Lewis began speaking Spanish in seventh grade and said what interested him the most at the time was "having lots of friends who spoke Spanish.
"I thought it would be cool to understand their language and culture," he said.
Lewis gave this advice to students who are interested or trying to learn Spanish:
"Get as much input as you can by just being around the language and people as much as possible," he said.
According to Lewis, although Spanish is his language of choice, if he were to take another language he said that he would pick all French next.
Lewis' honors and awards include winning the rating of "Super" in his essay in the 2008 Composition Contest, receiving sponsorship from AATSP-GA and receiving the Hispanic Outstanding Leadership Award (HOLA) for Youth Leader.
In April, Lewis became a member of Alpha Mu Gamma, the national collegiate foreign language honor society. When Lewis finishes school he said that he plans to teach, preferably college.
Lewis will be recognized for his achievements in Spanish with a plaque from the Georgia chapter of the American Association of Teacher of Spanish and Portuguese.
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