Graciela Wilborn Teacher of the Year Award

How do I nominate someone for the Graciela Wilborn Teacher of the Year Award?

Send your nominations for the Graciela Wilborn Teacher of the Year Award!

Recipients of this award will be recognized for outstanding contributions in the foreign language classroom and/or to the foreign language profession. Nominees must have taught a foreign language for a minimum of three years in North Dakota and be members of FLAND. 

Nominations should include:

• Name, position, address and telephone number of the teacher being nominated and of the person presenting the nomination. 

Nomination Form

• A description of the nominee's academic background, teaching experience and languages taught. (1 typed page)

• Reasons for the nomination including specific examples of outstanding contribution to the foreign language classroom or profession (1-2 typed pages written by the person presenting the nomination)

• Other pertinent materials such as letters of support for the nomination. (3-5 neatly typed articulate letters of support from a variety of people: administrators, co-workers, students, parents and FLAND members).

All nomination materials are due postmarked by May 1, 2026.

Please email 2026 nominations to Martina Dvorak

If mailing the nominations, send to Martina Dvorak, email for address. 

Committee Members

Erika Feole (2024), Laine Martinez (2023), Martina Dvorak (2021) (Chair)

Who was Graciela Wilborn?

    Who was Graciela Wilborn? Many of you knew Graciela very well, some of you met her at FLAND sessions and became professional acquaintances, and quite a few of you had the good fortune to be her students. There may be many new FLAND members, however, who don't know who she was or why our organization has honored her by naming our annual teaching award for her. In 1991, I nominated Graciela for a national award --the Central States Founders Award. I was limited to ten pages! When Dr. Clifford, then President of UND, handed me her monstrous file, I knew that the biggest challenge would be to try to condense the accomplishments of this incredible human being onto only ten typed pages. In this space, I have tried to reduce that ten pages to several paragraphs. 

    Graciela Wilborn received her Bachelor of Arts from the National University in Mexico City. She completed her Master of Arts at Middlebury School of Languages, Vermont, after study in Madrid. Her teaching experience included St. Mary's Elementary in Grand Forks, Williston High School, and every level and type of course at the University of North Dakota In Grand Forks. If there was anything happening in Spanish, from elementary school to the ND high school Spanish conventions, Graciela was there to lend her leadership, expertise, and hard work. She contributed to countless publications, was a presenter both locally, state-wide, and nationally. She served in every leadership position imaginable within FLAND, FLARR, AATSP, and many committees and positions on campus relating to international studies and language. Her involvement was phenomenal and it built a rapport within the UND power structure which enhanced the advancement of language study not only at UND, but ultimately, within the state as a whole. Graciela's compassionate interest in people was evident in her volunteerism. She translated for the courts, taught catechism to migrant workers, worked with the Special Olympics, and was never too busy to visit the elderly of her parish. She was, as her name so aptly states, a woman of amazing "grace".

Written by Karen Rosby, formerly of Grand Forks Public Schools

Written in the FLAND News in memory of Graciela

    Mickey Mouse ears and making snow angels are not usually a part of a funeral service, but for those of us privileged to know and love Graciela Wilborn they seem most appropriate; certainly the last word anyone would ever use to describe Graciela was "usual." Her enthusiasm for life and her love of everyone and everything were contagious. Everyone who met her remembered her, and more remarkably, she remembered them. It was impossible to leave Graciela without squaring your shoulders and smiling. She singlehandedly changed Spanish teaching and teachers in the state of North Dakota (and elsewhere) by showing us our strengths, gently helping us to overcome our weaknesses, and encouraging us every step of the way. She shared both her love for her chosen profession and the extraordinary skills she had for pursuing it. 

    Graciela was past-president of FLAND and the North Dakota AATSP. She was the 1992 recipient of the FLAND Teacher of the Year Award. In recognition of her tremendous contributions to the profession, the members of FLAND have named that award in her honor. 

    Graciela was born in México, D.F., the daughter of Ángel de la Garza Brito and Consuelo de la Garza Becerril. She attended la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico and Middlebury (Vt.) College. She lived in Fort Worth, Texas and Williston, N.D. before moving to Grand Forks in 1959. She is survived by her son, John, Phoenix; her daughters, Chris, Minneapolis and Tracy, Grand Forks; her brother, Ángel; and her half sisters, Maria and Alicia de la Garza Castillo, all México, D.F. She will be greatly missed. 

reprinted from FLAND News, FLAND News 1992 Fall

Past North Dakota Teacher of the Year Award Winners

• 2024 Erika Feole, German; Red River High School

• 2023 Laine Martinez, Spanish; Bismarck Public Schools

• 2021 Martina Dvorak, German; Great Western Network

• 2019 Emily Parrill, Spanish, Red River High School

• 2018 Claudia Schoellkopf, German; Bismarck Public Schools

• 2016 Kami Yri, Spanish; Bismarck Public Schools

• 2015 Gina Solemsaas, Spanish; Bismarck Public Schools

• 2014 Val Kling, French; Bismarck High School

• 2013 Dawn Pearson, Spanish; Rolla High School

• 2012 Jeanne Rodriguez, Spanish; Fargo Ben Franklin

• 2011 Charlene Voigt, Spanish; Northwood High School

• 2009 Laureen Hollifield, Latin; Grand Forks Central & Red River High School

• 2008 Susan Devine, Spanish; Bismarck High School

• 2007 Sandy Meidinger, Spanish; Great Western ITV Network

• 2006 Bea Berg, German; Grand Forks Central High School

• 2005 Mary Kay Keller-Ralston, Spanish; Bismarck High School

• 2004 Janet Thielman, German; Jamestown High School

• 2003 Karen Rosby, Spanish; Grand Forks Red River High School

• 2002 Walter Wolf, German; Center High School

• 2001 Sue Callahan, Spanish; Grafton High School

• 2000 Mary Jo Throntveit, Spanish; Minot High School

• 1998 Jeanne House, Spanish; Minot High School

• 1997 Pam Fisher, Spanish; Grand Forks Central High School

• 1996 Charlene Nemec, Spanish; Williston High School

• 1995 Pat Merritt, German; Grand Forks Red River High School

• 1994 Neil Souther, Latin & French; Bismarck High School

• 1993 Linda Gresham, Spanish; Minot State University

• 1992 Graciela Wilborn, Spanish; University of North Dakota

• 1991 Herb Boswau, German, University of North Dakota

• 1990 Val Babb, Spanish, Minot / Prairie Public TV

• 1989 Brad Ruff, German; Bismarck High School

• 1987 Anne Olafson, French; Minot High School

• 1986 David Connor, German; Minot State University

• 1985 Wynona Wilkins, French; University of North Dakota