We are thrilled to congratulate MAT alum, Ximena Quesada, on becoming one of the 30 teachers selected nationwide to join the White House History Teacher Institute. The in-person Institute is a five-day immersive teacher professional development program hosted by the White House Historical Association in Washington, D.C. and features discussions with historians, local site visits, inquiry-based learning activities, sessions facilitated by Master Teachers, guest speakers, and the opportunity to network with fellow educators from across the country. Mrs. Quesada intends to use this experience to "design projects that challenge students to think critically about how historical events, societal structures, and cultural identity shape one another."
Together with this well deserved recognition, Ximena was named Teacher of the Year at the 2026 FLENJ conference, which took place on March 18th, at Rutgers, where she delivered a speech and was honored by her colleagues.
Ximena received her MAT in Spanish degree in 2007. Of her experience in the program, she highlights the World Language classes: "studying the African Diaspora has proven invaluable for helping students understand Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-Hispanic cultures and their contributions."
Congratulations!