UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 27, 2024 / Marquis Who's Who has honored Louise Fay Despres for excellence in the field of academia. Over her long and prolific career as an educator, Mrs. Despres has turned her love for the French language into a learning experience beyond the classroom.

Mrs. Despres developed a passion for language learning at an early age. Her mother gave her French lessons before her school offered them. She loved the language so much that she grew up determined to make it her career. With her father and great-aunt working as teachers, a career in education became a natural path for her.

When Mrs. Despres entered higher education, she continued developing her French skills by obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in French from Connecticut College, a private liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. Pursuing a career as an educator, she then acquired a master's degree in teaching French from Brown University, a private Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island. She further proved her mastery of French when she earned her Master of Arts in French from Middlebury College, a U.S.-accredited university in Paris, France, in 1973.

Mrs. Despres began her teaching career as a French teacher at North Haven High School in 1967. She then worked in the foreign language elementary school program at High Plains Elementary School in Orange, Connecticut, from 1969 to 1970. From 1970 until her retirement in 2012, Mrs. Despres was an educator at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.

During her time at New Canaan High School, Mrs. Despres made an impact in a variety of educational positions, including advanced placement (AP) teacher of French literature and French language. She also worked as a Spanish teacher, independent study adviser, chair of independent study, international club adviser, mentor for new teachers, chairwoman of the World Languages Department and substitute teacher.

For Mrs. Despres, teaching AP French for 30 years was one of the proudest aspects of her career. "It took a lot of preparation," she states. "It was just wonderful to teach students who wanted to become proficient in the language or go into foreign service."

Mrs. Despres' teaching style incorporated real-world projects and activities, earning her the nickname of the "project lady." As a teacher, she would assign extra credit opportunities, such as traveling to New York City to visit a museum with a French exhibit. These activities outside of the classroom inspired her students and opened their eyes to the possibilities of learning other languages and cultures.

The impact of Mrs. Despres' teaching has been recognized through various awards and accolades. In 1983, she was awarded a fellowship for the National Endowments for the Humanities, the Advanced Placement Teacher Recognition Award from the New England College Board in 1994 and the Pegasus Pride Award from the Connecticut Organization of Language Teachers (now known as the Connecticut Council of Language Teachers) in 2001.

Mrs. Despres' contributions to education and language learning have also earned her multiple Marquis Who's Who honors, including the Marquis Who's Who Top Educator and the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mrs. Despres believes in the importance of education and in raising awareness of the challenges educators face today. She often taught large classes, which made it difficult to form individual bonds with her students. "Teaching is a lot more complex than people think," she says. "I wasn't just finished at 3:00; I was always trying to think of new things."

Despite the challenges she faced while teaching, Mrs. Despres made a point to have fun with the subjects she taught. She would often attend films, lectures and exhibits to further her knowledge.

Now retired, Mrs. Despres plans to continue to volunteer in the community as a senior citizen. With a prolific career as an educator behind her, she has made a lasting impact on many students.

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SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who