‘To Whom It May Concern: It isa pleasure to write on behalf of my colleague Amy Abe, whom I have known since 2007 in iy role as instructor of English as a Second Language at NorQuest College in Edmonton, Alberta. During my tenure atthe college, I have observed Amy in many different roles: as an instructor, mentor, manager, and as curriculum developer. Wherever she turns her attention, ‘Amy’ infectious enthusiasm and dedication have served to energize and inspire those around her, be they students, colleagues, or managers. ‘Amy is a creative person by nature and itis clearly evident in every aspect of her work. In the classroom, she finds innovative ways to bring language instruction to life by providing a highly interactive environment wherein students are encouraged to work together and learn through role play, the use of props, and even by acting out parts of speech. Students have told me that they eannot wait to go to class to see what Amy has planned for them. This holds true for lower-level students, who are just becoming familiar with self-expression in English, as well as for more advanced leamers, who are polishing their skills writing essay and ereating presentations. ‘Through her practice, Amy serves as a model for how to engage students in the leaming process and motivate them to reach their potential It is precisely this style of outside-the-box instruction that pervades the numerous curriculum development projects that Amy has been asked to produce over the years. I have offen said that she should write textbooks or develop other multimedia materials so that what she brings to the profession can reach a wider audience. Her work is grounded in theory and research in adult language education, and atthe same time it includes relevant references to life in Edmonton and even to pop culture. In this way, the courses and modules that she produces are both effective pedagogically, and meaningful to our students. I should add that Amy has a keen eye for finding ‘or creating supporting visual aids for her work, be it on paper or online. Additionally. her ‘background in theatre is evident in the engaging classroom activities that she has created for our program. My colleagues and [find her work inspiring forthe very reason that it goes beyond ‘more traditional approaches to language education and challenges us to become better teachers. ‘As associate chair of our division, Amy coordinated professional development activities and regularly informed our team of opportunities and resources available to us. She was also a key player is transforming our curriculum by overseeing the production of new assessment tools, and ‘working with individual instructors to ensure that our program was aligned to the Canadian ‘Language Benchmarks. ‘Amy is an active member in the Alberta Teachers of English as a Second Language professional association and has volunteered on the organizing committe for its annual conference. She presents regularly at the ATESL conference where she has spoken on her own, alongside colleagues, and is one the few who has co-presented with current and former students. Her well- attended sessions concern a range of topics from the theoretical underpinnings of classroom ‘practice or teaching materials, to workshops which highlight developments in various approaches and techniques. Amy is not one to keep what she has learned to herself: sharing what has come to her either through her ongoing training or experience ~ is simply a part of who she is. Having seen her present to colleagues in different venues, run departmental meetings, and teach ESL classes on many occasions, itis clear to me that Amy Abe will never stop refining her craft, gaining experience, and inspiring others as she moves along her career path, To my mind, she represents the best af us and is deserving of broader recognition, Gerard Russo, PhD Instructor, ESL Intensive Faculty of Foundational, Career and Intercultural Studies (FCIS)