Washington Association for the Education of Speakers of Other Languages
Grants, Awards, Scholarships
Did you know that each year WAESOL distributes $2500 in grants and awards? In addition, we extend conference scholarships for up to 10 WAESOL members to attend the Annual WAESOL Conference for free.
It is a high priority for the WAESOL Board to be able to offer these grants and awards and to be able to help ensure access to professional development through keeping our conference registration fees low and with free conference scholarships.
Last Year’s Grants and Awards Recipients:
2022 Sally Wellman Excellence in Teaching Award – Molly Popchock
2022 Outstanding Volunteer Award – Ron Belisle
2022 Project Funding Grant – Hanna Hong, University of Washington
2022 Project Funding Grant – Ali Asiri, Washington State University
2022 Professional Development Grant – Wing Shuen Lau, Seattle Pacific University
General Information about the Grants, Awards, and Conference Scholarships
You must be a current WAESOL member to apply or nominate a colleague. Visit the Membership Page to become a member.
You may only apply for one grant.
You can, in addition, apply for one conference scholarship and/or nominate a colleague for an award.
You may only nominate one individual for the Sally Wellman Excellence in Teaching Award and may not nominate yourself.
You may only nominate one individual for the Outstanding Volunteer Award and may not nominate yourself.
Important Notes:
Grant recipients must be registered for and in attendance during the grants & awards session at the Annual Conference to receive the grant.
The WAESOL Board reserves the right to award grants based on qualified applicants and on available funds.
Recipients of 2022 WAESOL Grants and Awards are not eligible for a 2023 Grant or Award.
Submissions that exceed the maximum word limit will not be considered.
No WAESOL Board member nor family member may apply.
Scroll down for specific information on each Award, Grant, or Scholarship. Submissions are due by midnight (Pacific Time) on the dates indicated below.
Sally Wellman Excellence in Teaching Award ($500) – Deadline September 27, 2023
This award is for $500 and is given to an ESOL teacher who has exhibited outstanding dedication in the classroom and/or learning community. It is the intent of WAESOL that this award will honor the recipient and inspire continued dedication to others in the profession. Any current WAESOL member may nominate a deserving individual. The nominee themselves need not be a WAESOL member, but must work/reside in Washington state or in a nearby community. The nominating essay will be published in the WAESOL Educator and/or on the WAESOL website.
Outstanding Volunteer Award ($500) – Deadline September 27, 2023
This award is for $500 and is given to an ESOL professional who has exhibited outstanding dedication in the community as a volunteer doing ESL- related work. It is the intent of WAESOL that this award will honor the recipient and inspire continued dedication to others in the local communities. Any current WAESOL member may nominate a deserving volunteer in the ESL community. The nominee themselves need not to be a WAESOL member and should work/reside in Washington state or in a nearby community. The nominating essay will be published in the WAESOL Educator and/or on the WAESOL website.
Guidelines
The person making the nomination must be a WAESOL member in good standing at the time the application is made. – Become a WAESOL member HERE.
You may nominate only one person.
You may not nominate yourself for this award.
Application Procedure
Submit your nomination by the September deadline.
Include a detailed essay (maximum 500 words) of how this volunteer has exhibited outstanding dedication in serving the ESL community.
Note: Nomination letters exceeding the 500 word limit will not be considered.
Professional Development Grant ($500) – Deadline September 17, 2023
This grant is for $500 and is awarded to one WAESOL member. Its purpose is to assist one WAESOL member with professional development. The recipient can use this grant to attend (1) a conference, (2) a workshop, or (3) a class related to the ESOL field. The recipient of this grant will be asked to write a report of the event attended to be published in the WAESOL Educator and/or on the WAESOL website.
Guidelines
Applicant must be a member in good standing of WAESOL at the time the application is made – Become a WAESOL member HERE.
The grant recipient must be in attendance at the 2023 WAESOL Conference on Saturday, October 21st.
Application Procedure
Submit your application by the September deadline.
Include a detailed essay (maximum 500 words) of (1) why you are applying for this grant and (2) how it would benefit your teaching/research.
Applications will be evaluated for the impact the proposed professional development opportunity will have on the candidate’s future as well as on the clarity of the response.
Note: Essays exceeding the 500 word limit will not be considered.
This grant is for $500 each and will be award to 2 individuals. The purpose is to encourage and benefit classroom/community projects that directly impact English language learning in Washington state or nearby communities. The recipients of this grant will be asked to write a report of the project to be published in the WAESOL Educator and/or on the WAESOL website.
Guidelines
Applicant must be a member in good standing of WAESOL at the time the application is made.– Become a WAESOL member HERE.
The grant recipient must be in attendance at the 2023 WAESOL Conference on Saturday, October 21st.
Only one application per individual can be submitted.
Application Procedure
Include a detailed essay (maximum 500 words) of (1) why you are applying for this grant, (2) what the project entails, (3) how it would benefit English language learners; and (4) include an overview of how the funds will be used.
Applications will be evaluated for relevance of project and clarity of the response.
Note: Essays exceeding the 500 word limit will not be considered.
2023 Applications for this grant are now closed.
WAESOL Conference Scholarship – Deadline September 17, 2023
To encourage access to attend the 2023 WAESOL conference, WAESOL is again offering 10 scholarships to cover the conference registration fee (excludes pre-conference workshops). WAESOL members in good standing are eligible to apply for a conference registration scholarship.
Applying for the scholarship does not prevent you from applying for other grants or from nominating deserving individual for our awards.
Guidelines
Applicant must be a member in good standing of WAESOL at the time the application is made – Become a WAESOL member HERE.
Application Procedure
Submit your application by the September deadline.
Include a short essay (maximum 250 words) explaining how attending WAESOL 2023 would benefit your teaching/research.
Efforts will be made to distribute scholarships among ELT professionals from various contexts and regions.
Note: Essays exceeding the 250 word limit will not be considered.
2023 Applications for conference scholarship are now closed.
