CHS senior Morgan Bradbury (l) and her AP Spanish teacher Megan Probasco celebrated Bradbury’s Language Student of the Year award. Probasco nominated her student for the statewide award which includes a partial scholarship and a place in a study abroad program in Madrid, Spain this summer.Coronado High School senior Morgan Bradbury was selected as a runner up for the Language Student of the Year award in California. She will receive a $2,500 scholarship and a spot in the Advanced Spanish Language & Culture program in Madrid, Spain this summer. The award is presented annually by CLTA-CIEE (California Language Teachers Association – Council on International Educational Exchange).
“I am really excited about this. I knew I wanted to study abroad in either high school or college and become fluent in Spanish but I needed some financial help. This is a great opportunity for me,” shared Bradbury, adding that immersion is the best way to develop fluency.
The CLTA-CIEE awards celebrate deserving world language students who aspire to bring their language skills to the real world through study abroad. World language teachers across the state have the opportunity to nominate their best students.
Bradbury was nominated by her CHS AP Spanish teacher Megan Probasco. “I am a huge advocate for students having study abroad experiences. I did it when I was younger and I know what a difference it can make. Morgan has shared with me her desire to study abroad, and her worry about the financial aspect of it. That’s why this is so great for her,” said Probasco.
Her teachers inspired Bradbury to further her language skills through travel. “My last three Spanish teachers all studied abroad when they were young, and all in Spain. They really influenced me,” she said.
In her nomination, Probasco highlighted Bradbury’s “eagerness to learn a foreign language and benefit from a study abroad experience.” She also advocated for Bradbury as a high school senior. “Typically they only give this award to juniors or below so it was really unfair to seniors [who didn’t have the opportunity the past two years because there were no programs during Covid].”
Bradbury is a new student on the CHS campus this year. Her father works for the U.S. Coast Guard and the family moved to Coronado last spring. She was previously homeschooled but is enjoying her senior year at CHS and looking forward to her summer in Spain. She hasn’t decided on a college choice yet, but is considering studying to be a speech pathologist.
Source: Coronado Unified School District
