Carmen Candelaria is Coordinator of Bilingual Education and Special Projects at the Santa Barbara County Education Office in Santa Barbara. "As a bilingual, Hispanic educator, I wish to give time, encouragement, and an educational stimulus," says Mrs. Candelaria. Her years of experience as an in-class bilingual resource teacher put her in direct and productive touch with the needs of bilingual students and the challenges facing those who teach them. Mrs. Candelaria has made it a priority to develop language curricula designed to serve students with limited English proficiency and to coordinate training programs for their parents. The "Transition to English Reading" program she created incorporates literature-based selections, cooperative learning methods and creative writing assignments. In 1993, Mrs. Candelaria was named California State Teacher of the Year by the California Department of Education.
