Meet Heidi Trude
Educator at Loudoun Valley High School in Warrenton, Virginia. Also being named one of the 2019 ACTFL Teacher of the Year Finalists.
Level: High School
I teach: French
Favorite Part of being an ACTFL Member:
My favorite part of being an ACTFL member is the connection to all the amazing language educators across the United States and beyond. Attending the ACTFL Convention brings me so much joy because I am able to connect in person with colleagues who I only see in person once a year at ACTFL. As I have grown and developed as a teacher and leader, I have taken on more leadership roles in the language community and love having the opportunity to serve my fellow language educators. I'm so fortunate for all the connections I have made because of ACTFL and the opportunity to always continue learning as a professional.
Favorite Part of Career:
Being named one of the 2019 ACTFL Teacher of the Year Finalists has definitely been one of my most memorable moments of my career. It was such an honor to be recognized by my state language association, FLAVA (Foreign Language Association of Virginia), and then to be recognized as the regional teacher of the year by SCOLT (Southern Conference of Language Teaching). Becoming an ACTFL Teacher of the Finalist opened so many doors for me that I never thought would be possible. I am so blessed to have met so many language educators who I looked up to and now consider my friends.
One thing I Recently Learned:
I am very involved in my school, FLAVA, and SCOLT, so this year it was essential for me to learn to set boundaries for myself to avoid burnout. It's still a work in progress, but I'm getting there!
Fun Fact:
I love to take cookie decorating classes in my free time. I also LOVE to travel and experience new languages and cultures.
