EVP Teachers Making Connections in La Nouvelle-Orléans
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2015 at 2:20 pm.
 |
| French Class Poster, Haynes Academy of Advanced Studies, New Orleans, Louisiana |
The French influence in New Orleans, Louisiana is world-renowned. The cuisine, music, and architecture reflect the city’s roots and rich multicultural heritage. And, thanks to some very dedicated teachers who are in the United States as part of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, French and American youth have the unique opportunity to further explore each other’s culture online and in-person.
Ms. Maiwena Gadegbeku, a J-1 Teacher from France in action at Haynes Academy of Advanced Studies in New Orleans, Louisiana
Ms. Maiwena Gadegbeku, an English and drama teacher from France’s Brittany region, is a dynamo of energy, creativity, and cultural exchange. I saw her in action at Haynes Academy of Advanced Studies, a 6-12th grade magnet school located in the Metairie district of New Orleans where she is a J-1 exchange teacher. As a French teacher at Haynes, Maiwena works alongside Roxanne Coron, Haynes’ resident French language teacher. Together the two have created a powerhouse language and culture program that prepares students to compete in statewide competitions – and win.
Ms. Maiwena Gadegbeku, a J-1 Teacher from France in action at Haynes Academy of Advanced Studies in New Orleans, Louisiana
Maiwena, whose love of teaching naturally rubs off on everyone around her, has also spent her exchange experience creating an interactive web portal to provide resources to French and American teachers who want to create avenues to exchange ideas and allow students to interact. Thanks to her husband’s technical skills, she will soon publish her new website. For Maiwena, cultural interaction is a necessity and she wants to make it easy for others to engage.
Haynes Academy of Advanced Studies School Banner
She and Roxanne also organize trips for French students to visit New Orleans, and American students to visit Brittany. In April, Haynes Academy hosted four teachers and 29 students from Redon who are working on a documentary film about the history of New Orleans. Maiwena is an example of how the accomplishments of just one teacher’s exchange can be extraordinary!
Categories: J-1 Visa, Participants, Program Spotlight
| About Rebecca Pasini Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange | |
|
Rebecca A. Pasini joined the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchanges in July 2023. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister - Counselor, Ms. Pasini has been an American diplomat since 1997.
Ms. Pasini previously served as the Director of Public and Congressional Affairs in the Bureau of Consular Affairs from 2021-2023. Other Washington assignments have included positions in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, the Office of Foreign Missions, and as a liaison to the Department of Homeland Security. She has also completed multiple overseas tours, including as Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs in Islamabad, Pakistan, and as the Consular Chief in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Belfast, Northern Ireland. Other tours included Mexico City and Kuwait.
A Maryland native, Ms. Pasini has a Ph.D. in Political Science from Indiana University, a master’s degree in National Security and Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School, National Defense University, and an undergraduate degree from Mary Washington College.
Categories
Flickr
 View more photos |