Cultural Educator of the Year
Elena Miranda - Va. Outstanding Cultural Educator
“Teaching in the USA has had a tremendous impact on me, both as a teacher and as a person. Being exposed to other teaching techniques and being able to use a great variety of materials has enriched my teaching. My students have learned the Spanish language and culture from a native speaker. They have been exposed to different points of view that they had not been exposed to in the past.”

Elena Miranda Verdú • Spain Spain
Virginia Oustanding Cultural Educator

Spanish teacher
Henrico High ▪ Henrico County Schools, Virginia

As a Spanish language teacher in the International Baccalaureate Program at Henrico High School, Elena Miranda has no trouble integrating her Spanish culture into lessons. She and her students routinely discuss Hispanic current events and read Hispanic newspapers online. She has taught her students how to dance Sevillana, a popular form of flamenco, and how to cook Spanish cuisine.

One of Miranda’s students’ favorite projects comes during the unit on “Television and Entertainment,” when their teacher asks them to create their own soap opera and film a five-minute episode. Working entirely in Spanish, students write a script, film the scenes, and edit the piece, adding music and credits. She invites guest speakers from different Hispanic backgrounds to increase her students’ cultural awareness, and sponsors the Spanish Honor Society.

For Miranda, a third-term VIF teacher, this experience as a cultural ambassador has enabled her to explore her own heritage as a Spanish citizen. In her Spanish V class, she teaches about the Spanish Civil War, telling stories she had heard from her grandfather and using photographs of Spanish people from that time to introduce literature from that era.

Elham Aboulhosn, World Language Department Chair, Henrico High:

“Elena Miranda is a remarkable classroom teacher. Each of her lessons is carefully planned with activities that challenge her students and expand their knowledge academically and culturally. She pushes her students to critically think and see beyond their circles.”