At Garden City High School in Garden City, Spanish teacher Jesse Bernal uses music, contests, drills, cultural events and cooking sessions to help each student become more fluent. He required his pupils to demonstrate mastery both in oral and written forms and provides one-on-one feedback regarding their performances. As the Foreign Languages Department Chair, Mr. Bernal was instrumental in developing the school's Spanish for Native Speakers class, and he initiated the National Spanish Honor Society at Garden City High School. In his career, he has had many of his students passed the AP Spanish test, and two of his pupils receive second and third place on the National Spanish Exam. During the summers, Mr. Bernal would give his students further opportunities to master the language by taking them to Spanish-speaking countries. After retiring from teaching in 2012, Mr. Bernal enjoys traveling and spending time with his 4 kids and 13 grandkids.
1989 St. MaryÕs Plains, B.A.
