2024 THEME: World Languages:  A Core Subject

Premise

In the state of Massachusetts, students need to demonstrate the ability to use technology for the purpose of communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Consequently, through the use of a variety of media formats students develop technology skills that enable them to communicate a variety of information and ideas to satisfy both world language and technology standards.

Summary

The Digital Art Contest is intended to allow students to demonstrate the effect that being multilingual and multicultural has in our global society through a digital art form! Students submitting these original images should consider what the theme means to them and the importance of being multilingual. How does it apply to your everyday experience with learning another language and how does it fit in with ultimate goals around language?

All world language teachers of Massachusetts are invited to get their students involved in celebrating the theme!  Please, feel free to collaborate with your digital arts teachers as well!

Students may be entered in one of four specific categories corresponding to their grade level below.

Divisions 

• Elementary School – Students in grades Pre-K-5
• Middle School – Students in grades 6-8
• High School – Students in grades 9-12
• College or University – Students in Community College, Four Year Institutes, or similar. 

Reminder: All entries become the property of MAFLA

Prizes

• One entry will be selected as Digital Image of the Year; that artist will receive a check for $50; the artwork will be displayed at the MAFLA Conference.
• There will be only one winner per division. For the division producing the Image of the Year, no division award will be given.
• Division winners for the contest will receive a check for $25.00.
• Several Honorable Mention images will be selected and featured at the MAFLA Fall Conference.
• All entrants will receive a certificate of participation.
• A letter of appreciation will be sent to all MAFLA members whose students participate in the contest. In addition, letters of appreciation will be sent to the principal and superintendent of participating schools.
• Winners will be posted on mafla.org.  

Go to the Digital Art Contest Entry Form for Submission Guidelines and Judging Criteria.

Contact:  Kristin Gillett                                                        Contest Entry Form

Deadline for submission is April 1

2024 THEME: World Languages:  A Core Subject

Premise

MAFLA wants to raise students’ awareness of the role that world languages play in the state, and to involve students and teachers more actively in that purpose. Students submitting these essays should consider what the theme means to them. How does it apply to their everyday experience with learning another language and how does it fit in with ultimate goals around language?

All world language teachers of Massachusetts are invited to get their students involved in celebrating the theme!

Summary

Students must demonstrate the ability to be effective communicators in the State of Massachusetts. MAFLA is pleased to offer this exciting opportunity for all students in public and private schools in Massachusetts to participate in our essay contest. We encourage MAFLA members to work in collaboration with their ELA teachers.

In each of the divisions outlined below students will have the opportunity to demonstrate, in English, how they understand and interpret the current theme of the year in order to raise awareness of the role that world languages play nationally and internationally.

Students may be entered in one of four specific categories corresponding to their grade level below.

Divisions and Corresponding Essay Lengths

• Elementary School – Grades K-5: Maximum of 150 words.
• Middle School – Grades 6-8: Maximum of 250 words
• High School – Grades 9-12: Maximum of 350 words
• College or University – Grades 13-16: Maximum of 350 words

Reminder: All essays become the property of MAFLA

Prizes

• One essay will be selected as Essay of the Year; the author will receive a check for $50.00. The winning essay will be featured at the MAFLA Conference.
• There will be only one winner per division. For the division producing the Essay of the Year no division award will be given.
• Division winners for the essay contest will receive a check for $25.00. 
• Several Honorable Mention essays will be selected and featured at the MAFLA Fall Conference.
• All entrants will receive a certificate of participation. A letter of appreciation will be sent to all MAFLA members whose students participate in the contests. In addition, letters of appreciation will be sent to the principal and superintendent of participating schools.
• Winners will be posted on mafla.org.
• Certificates and acknowledgments will be sent out at a later date.

Go to the Essay Contest Entry Form for Submission Guidelines and Judging Criteria

Contact: Kristin Gillett                                                   Essay Contest Entry Form

Deadline for submission is April 1

Past Presidents’ Awards

MAFLA awards up to 4 awards of $500.00 annually in honor of our past presidents. Awards are given to high school students who have demonstrated excellence in world language study and service/leadership within their school.

Criteria for Past Presidents’ Award

1. Student must be a senior in high school who has completed the last sequence of that language.
2. Student must have studied a world language for a minimum of three sequential levels (Spanish I, II, III, for example). The only exception will be for students who study a critical language which has a program of only two years in scope (Chinese Language I, Chinese II, for example).
3. Student must be planning to continue world language study at the college level.
4. Student must have achieved a 90% average in the world language over the 3+ years of study.
5. Student must have demonstrated service to or leadership within the department, school and/or community. Some examples are language club officer, tutor, etc.
6. Student must be able to articulate in an essay of 250 words the importance of world language study. This topic may be treated either globally or personally. Some examples are:
   • The Importance of World Language Study in Today’s Changing World
   • The Importance of World Language Study in My Life
7. Nominating teacher must be a member of MAFLA.  Only ONE candidate per school should be submitted for consideration.

Contact Kristin Gillett with any questions.                        To apply online click HERE.

Deadline for Submissions May 1

2024 THEME: World Languages:  A Core Subject

Premise

MAFLA wants to raise students’ awareness of the role that world languages play in the state and to involve students and teachers more actively in that purpose. The Poster Contest is intended to allow students to demonstrate the effect that being multilingual and multicultural has in our global society. Students submitting these posters should consider what the theme means to them and the importance of being multilingual. How does it apply to your everyday experience with learning another language and how does it fit in with ultimate goals around language?

All world language teachers of Massachusetts are invited to get their students involved in celebrating the theme!

Summary

Students must demonstrate the ability to be effective communicators in the State of Massachusetts. MAFLA is pleased to offer this exciting opportunity for all students in public and private schools in Massachusetts to participate in our Poster contest.

In each of the divisions outlined below students will have the opportunity to demonstrate via visual arts how they understand and interpret the current theme of the year in order to raise awareness of the role that world languages play nationally and internationally.

Students may be entered in one of five specific categories corresponding to their grade level below.

Divisions (New This Year - Early Elementary)

• Early Elementary - Grades K-2
• Elementary School – Grades 3-5
• Middle School – Grades 6-8
• High School – Grades 9-12
• College or University – Grades 13-16

Prizes

• One poster will be selected as Poster of the Year; that artist will receive a check for $50; poster will be displayed at the MAFLA Conference.
• There will be only one winner per division (grades K-2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8, grades 9-12, and grades 13-16).  For the division producing the Poster of the Year, no division award will be given).
• Divisional winners will receive a check for $25.
• Several honorable mention posters may be selected and featured at the MAFLA Fall Conference.
• All entrants will receive a certificate of participation.
• A letter of appreciation will be sent to all MAFLA members whose students participate in the contest. In addition, letters of appreciation will be sent to the principal and superintendent of participating schools.
• Winners will be posted on mafla.org. 

For more information and contest Guidelines Click on the appropriate Entry Form link below.

Contact:  fraugillett@gmail.com               Entry Form                 Early Elementary Form

Deadline for submission is April 1

Student Awards

The MAFLA Board of Directors has established an awards program for students of world languages in public and private schools in Massachusetts.  Awards categories are:

• One award for excellence for each language per school.  This certificate is conferred upon the student who has demonstrated excellence (highest achievement) in the most advanced course of each language taught in each school.
• One award per high school to the student who has distinguished himself/herself for leadership in world language activity.
• One award of achievement for eligible middle school programs. This certificate is conferred on a student deemed most worthy by the awarding teacher. One award per language per school.

Any public or private school in Massachusetts wishing to recognize academic excellence and leadership in world language activities by awarding the MAFLA award certificates may submit their nominees. Individual certificates will be sent for presentation to students. Each school is eligible to make one award for excellence in each language taught (for middle school or high school).  Each school is eligible to make one award per school for leadership in world language activities.

The Board of Directors has established the following criteria which each award recipient’s school must meet:

1. Nominees must be public or private school students in Massachusetts.
2. Recipients of the Award for Excellence must be enrolled in the most advanced course offered in their school of the language for which they have been selected to receive the award.
3. Recipients of the Award for Leadership for world language activities may be enrolled in any high school world language course but must demonstrate leadership in World Language activities. No more than one award per high school per year will be granted for leadership.
4. Recipients are to be selected by the world language faculty of their respective schools. Criteria for determining highest achievement shall be determined by the local school’s world language department.
5. Schools participating in the awards program must have at least one current MAFLA member on their world language staff.  Application for awards must be made through this member.

ONE STUDENT PER LANGUAGE OFFERED AT THE SCHOOL.

Contact Kristin Gillett                                                      Submit online  CLOSED FOR 2024

Deadline for submissions: May 1

Video Contest

2024 THEME:  World Languages:  A Core Subject

Premise

In the state of Massachusetts, students need to demonstrate the ability to use technology for the purpose of communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Consequently, through the use of a variety of media formats students develop technology skills that enable them to communicate effectively, to multiple audiences, a variety of information and ideas to satisfy both world language and technology standards.

Summary

Video production is a method of communication that is used more and more and it allows anyone to create video files and post them to the Internet for others to download and listen to/view at any time. MAFLA is pleased to offer an exciting opportunity for all students in public and private schools in Massachusetts to participate in a video contest. In a two-minute video, students will have the opportunity to demonstrate in English or a world language how they understand and interpret the current theme of the year in order to raise awareness of the role that world languages play nationally and internationally.

Divisions

• Elementary School – Students/Classes in pre-K through grade 5
• Middle School – Students in grades 6-8
• High School – Students in grades 9-12
• College or University – Students in Community College, 4 Year institutes, or similar. Ideal for Students Travelling Abroad

List of possible activities for all four categories, but not limited to:

• a speech/soliloquy/address
• a poem
• a song (raps included)
• an advertisement
• a public service announcement
• a skit
• For K-5 teachers, please consider demonstrating the theme in your elementary classrooms as opposed to students doing their own video

Prizes

• A MAFLA committee will select one winner in each of the three divisions. The prize for the winner in each category will be $50 awarded to the creator(s) of the video.
• The videos of the winners, and the two runners-up from each category may be showcased in an area of the MAFLA website.
• Several honorable mention videos will be selected and featured at the MAFLA Fall Conference.
• All entrants will receive a certificate of participation.
• A letter of appreciation will be sent to all MAFLA members whose students participate in the contest. In addition, letters of appreciation will be sent to the principal and superintendent of participating schools.
• Winners will be posted on mafla.org. Certificates and acknowledgments will be sent out at a later date.

Contact: Kristin Gillett              Contest Entry Form

Deadline for submissions is April 1