The Director of the Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America, Dr. Mary Ann Re, is delighted to announce that, recognizing the importance of acknowledging and motivating excellence in the teaching of Italian, the Coccia family and Lawrence Inserra, Jr., have generously increased to $4,000 the monetary prize associated with the Teaching Award.

This substantially increased monetary component of the Coccia-Inserra Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Teaching of Italian (K-12) for academic year 2014 is to be allocated as follows:

a) $2000 is to be used exclusively to advance the Italian language and culture curriculum and programming within the recipient's classroom;

b) $2000 is to be dedicated to the professional development of the winning teacher (for direct payment of academic fees to an institution of professional development in Italian language and culture at home or abroad).

The Coccia-Inserra Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Teaching of Italian (K-12) will be presented on Friday, November 14th, 2014 during our seventh annual Teaching Italian Symposium-Workshops, the Coccia Institute's signature professional development program for teachers of Italian, offered in collaboration with MSU's Department of Spanish and Italian and the Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies. The recipient's travel and lodging expenses will be assumed by the Coccia-Inserra Award committee.

Please note the expanded set of 2014 eligibility requirements:

The award is open to teachers who currently are:
a. Members in good standing of one of the following:
i. AATI (American Association of Teachers of Italian)
ii. AAIS (American Association of Italian Studies)
iii. ITANJ (Italian Teachers Association of New Jersey)

b. The applicant must be a full-time language teacher who is certified as a teacher of Italian and who must be teaching a minimum of two classes of Italian at the K-12 level.

To review the process guidelines and to apply for the Coccia-Inserra Teaching Award (K-12), please go to: Coccia-Inserra Teaching Award. Feel free to contact the Coccia Institute's Director, Dr. Mary Ann Re, with any questions you might have regarding the Award (908.655.4038 or [email protected]).

Please note: The deadline for applications is FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2014. It is preferred that applications be submitted electronically, but hard copy applications also will be accepted.