NUESTROS ASSISTANTS

Durante el curso escolar 2021-2022  nos volvemos a sentir más que afortunados de contar   con  cuatro Auxiliares de Conversación. Tres de ellos proceden de Estados Unidos: Nicole Kaplan, Riley Cunningham y Elías Nachinson. Y el cuarto  de nuestros Auxiliares procede de Filipinas: Joaquín Carlos de Jesús.

La labor de los Auxiliares se centra fundamentalmente en fomentar el uso de la lengua inglesa entre los alumnos, a fin de que éstos mejoren su vocabulario, pronunciación, y gramática. Se trata de un recurso de gran valor y nos honra tenerles entre nosotros. Os mostramos su fotografía en esta página. En el hall del instituto los auxiliares de conversación crearon un panel con una breve biografía.

                                                                     

                                                              

ELIJAH                                                                        

                                 

BIOGRAPHY- ELI NACHISON

 I am from Reston, Virginia which is a community about 20 miles west of Washington D.C. In elementary school I attended a Spanish immersion program where all of my math and science classes from Kindergarten through 6th grade were taught exclusively in Spanish. This is where I developed an early acquisition and appreciation for the language. I attended an International Baccalaureate high school and received an IB diploma with high marks. 

 

This past Spring, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Honors College at Virginia Commonwealth University with a double major in International Relations and Spanish. Some memorable experiences that I had in college were presenting independently conducted research at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research, working as a teaching assistant in the Honors College, and acting as Humanities Editor for the University undergraduate research journal. I also had the privilege of studying abroad at the University of Seville during the 2020 Spring Semester, although my time there was unfortunately cut short due to the pandemic. I am currently taking online courses from the University of Toronto to get certified for Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). 

 

Outside of my academic life I have many interests. I'm an avid art lover and previously worked as a gallery guide for the Smithsonian in D.C. I also love music and movies, especially world cinema. Fitness is another important part of my life, and I am a huge baseball fan. I look forward to sharing and connecting with students in the classroom about these different areas of interest. 

RILEY

   

BIOGRAPHY-RILEY CUNNINGHAM

 My name is Riley Cunningham and I am from the small state of Connecticut in the northeast of the United States. I grew up playing sports (soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, skiing/snowboarding, and track) as well as playing competitive piano.

After graduating from high school, I moved to Miami, FL to study history and Spanish at the University ofMiami. I graduated recently, in the spring of 2021, and moved to Spain to practice the language and enjoy the culture. In my free time, I love to read and write, watch films, spend time with friends, and walk around the city. 

 

JOAQUÍN                                                

       

BIOGRAPHY-JOAQUÍN CARLOS DE JESÚS

I am Joaquín Carlos de Jesús and I was born in the Philippines. I joined the Language Assistants Program of Spain because I am passionate about the shared cultural heritage between the Philippines and Spain.

 

Since university, I have written about numerous topics on the common links between the two cultures: gastronomy, art, heritage, history. My mother is an English teacher herself and her own career and vocation have inspired me to pursue this path of language exchange and cultural enrichment.

 

Before joining the program, I worked in marketing and communications for various companies in the Philippines particularly in the telecommunications and tourism industries.

 

I enjoy cooking, traveling, reading as well as visiting museums and exhibits. An avid writer, I have been tapped by the major publications and media companies in the Philippines to contribute articles for them. In 2009, the European Union along with the European cultural agencies in Manila awarded my essay the grand prize for a nationwide essay writing contest, which allowed me to travel to Europe to retrace the footsteps of our national hero, Dr. José Rizal, who studied and lived in Europe. My children´s story book, "Quintin and His Violin" was published in 2010.

 

NICOLE

         

BIOGRAPHY- NICOLE KAPLAN

I am from New York City, I'm 26 years old and I hope that my particular perspective as a 26 year old New Yorker will lend itself well to being a Language and Culture Assistant.

 I have a Bachelor's degree in Italian Language and Culture and I minored in Classical Studies. This is my first time working in Education and my previous experience is in Travel and Tourism . I am very inquisitive and curious and typically ask a lot of questions. I am from New York City.