SCOLT at 60 History

Dr. Herman Bostick, one of the founders of SCOLT, with Clarissa Adams Fletcher in 2015 “...the Foreign Language profession in the South and Nation owe a great debt of gratitude to those pioneers in foreign language education who established SCOLT and guided its destiny during the first decade. They were mainly teachers who had a vision for foreign language teaching and learning, especially in the South, and who had the courage and tenacity to make that vision a reality in the form of SCOLT. Their love and dedication to the Conference was indeed exemplary. Most of the makers and shapers of SCOLT served without compensation of any kind, the SCOLT treasury being too meager to afford such luxury and very few of their institutions, if any, provided them financial assistance. Yet there were very few meetings of the Steering Committee or the Board of Directors that did not have full attendance. The members came and they worked cheerfully in a spirit of collegiality.” - Founder of SCOLT, Dr. Herman Bostick, from Perspectives & Horizons: Dimension: Languages ‘89 Dear SCOLT Family, These inspiring words tell me that while our world is very different from the world of 1965, the commitment and dedication of SCOLT leadership and members have remained the same. “...worked cheerfully in a spirit of collegiality...” perfectly describes the experience of being on the SCOLT Board. I’m so grateful that I’ve had the privilege of being part of a group that is dedicated to a common goal: making our world connect and communicate. Getting to know and to work with the amazing leaders who have served this organization has been one of the greatest joys and honors of my life. I researched and worked with past leaders to compile this brief history of our organization. More comprehensive detail is available in past issues of the SCOLT journal, Dimensions. In the 25th Anniversary edition, there is an article about the first 10 years written by Herman Bostick and an article by James Gates about the years from 1974-1989. In the 2010 edition, Executive Director Lynne McClendon published an article about 1990-2010. Thanks to those pioneers who set down our history and to all those who keep making it. Thank you for your contribution to our history and legacy and to our plans for the future. Pam Benton, President

Table of contents

Words from a Founder & President’s message……….……………………………….………..…..….2 Brief Historical Timeline of SCOLT…….………….……………………………………….…………4 Faces of SCOLT……………………………………………………………………………………..…8 Where was SCOLT held?......................................................................................................................11 Who were the Presidents?......................................................................................................................12 Who were the Executive Directors?......................................................................................................13 SCOLT World Language Teachers of the Year……….……………………………………….……..14 Looking to the Future…………………………………..................................................................…..15 Resources……………………………………………………………………………………..…….....16

The 2025 conference logo was designed by Christa Markley. Christa does the layout and design of the conference program for SCOLT each year and has designed many of the logos used by SCOLT, including the new organization logo on the opposite page which was adopted by the sponsors & patrons in 2024.

Current SCOLT Board of Directors back row: Linda Santiago, Kimberly Watson, Bertha Delgadillo, Dr. Krista Chambless, Pam Benton, Tomas Soth, Michelle Olah, Dr. Amanda Hajji Minnillo, Jen Carson, Dr. Leslie Baldwin. Front row: Bonnie Wang, Dr. Kelly Moser, Liz Lawrence-Baez

Highlights in the History of SCOLT

1964—December 6, a group of likeminded educators came together to plan a regional conference.

Representatives from Emory University (GA), Atlanta University (GA), Converse College (SC), and the Georgia State Department of Education made up the group. A Steering Committee and an Advisory Committee were established.

The Steering Committee consisted of representatives from Emory University (GA), Converse College (SC), the Georgia State Department of Education, the Atlanta Board of Education, Atlanta University, Florida State University, The Women’s College of Georgia, and the Lovett Schools (GA).

The Advisory Committee consisted of representatives from the Departments of Education of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia; as well as high school teachers from Georgia and Florida, and higher ed representatives from the University of Tennessee, University of Georgia, Savannah State College (GA), University of Kentucky, Morehouse College (GA), Agnes Scott College (GA), and the University of Southern Mississippi.

1965—February 4-6, the first conference was held in Atlanta at the Atlanta Americana Motor Hotel. 1200 teachers and administrators from across the south attended the conference. Atlanta area students came in to serve as the students for teaching demonstrations.

1966—Huguette Chatagnier Kiser suggested the name Dimension for the proceedings from the first conference and the first Dimension was born.

By-Laws were drafted and incorporation was researched.

1967—By-Laws were approved and SCOLT was incorporated. SCOLT’s first residence was at Converse College in South Carolina. A Board of Directors replaced the Steering Committee and an Advisory Board replaced the Advisory Committee.

The first officers were elected: Chair (AKA President): Louis Chatagnier (GA) Vice-Chair (AKA President-Elect): Karl S. Pond (FL) Secretary/Treasurer (AKA Executive Director): Elisabeth G. Epting.

Sponsors & Patrons were sought to ease the financial burden and to provide a governance structure for the conference. Sponsors paid $25 and Patrons paid $50. The goal was to have 50 sponsors and patrons and 78 signed up!

1969—The last day of the conference in Atlanta saw a blizzard hit the city, stranding many of the conference attendees for a day or two. A discussion ensued about holding the conference in October to avoid the February weather.

1970—The conference was held in Jacksonville, FL (site of our upcoming 2027 conference) and was a success.

1971—The first conference held in October to avoid the winter weather of February.

1972—ACTFL & SCOLT held a joint conference in Atlanta. ACTFL recorded the highest attendance to that date at this conference!

1973—Elisabeth Epting retired and James Gates was elected to the position of secretary/treasurer (AKA Executive Director).

1977—The first time SCOLT worked jointly with a state organization, FFLA, for a conference.

1982—Approved change from 12 to 8 members of the Board of Directors. Committees including: program, finance, exhibits, editorial, publicity were formed.

1988—Dimension transformed from a book of proceedings to a prestigious journal of refereed scholarly articles with T. Bruce Fryer and Frank Medley serving as co-editors.

1990s—In this decade, four SCOLT Founders were recognized with the SCOLT Founder’s Award: Elisabeth Epting, Joanna Breedlove Crane, Herman Bostick, and Lee Bradley.

SCOLT initiated its first website in this decade as well, supported extensively by Valdosta State University. Executive Director, C. Lee Bradley and his colleague, Grady Lacy created and worked to expand the reach of this site.

1995—1st Language Study Scholarship was offered through the French Cultural Services.

1996—ACTFL Standards for Foreign Language Learning debuted.

2000s—Scholarships increased to eight with donations from the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi, the French Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Cemanahuac Educational Community, the Embassy of Spain, the Goethe Institute and AATG, Estudio Sampere, Centro MundoLengua, and the Academia Latinoamericana, the Linguistics department of Equatorialis University.

2002—Maurice Cherry, President and Co-Editor of Dimension proposed that he assemble an index for the Dimension journals beginning with 1980.

2003—SCOLT Board added an “Advocacy Director” position to the board and held Advocacy Camps for member of state language organizations.

2005—ACTFL initiated the Languages Teacher of the Year award and SCOLT’s very first Regional Teacher of the Year, Ken Stewart of North Carolina, was named ACTFL’s first World Languages Teacher of the Year!

2007—Encouraged by Past President, Sue Barry, a grant was issued throughout the SCOLT region for K-12 school districts that would commit to training the entire foreign language staff to develop and use performance-based assessments (PBAs). Selected, was Richmond County School District in Augusta, Georgia. Greg Duncan, former ACTFL President and long-time SCOLT member, was selected as the project facilitator. As a result of its work, the Richmond County Foreign Language Department was tapped to make assessment contributions to the newly revised language standards for the Georgia Department of Education Web site. The culmination of this project was a presentation given by the Richmond County Foreign Language Group at the 2009 SCOLT Conference co-hosted with the Foreign Language Association of Georgia (FLAG) and the Southeast Association of Language Learning Technology (SEALLT).

Encouraged by Board Member and future (2009) President, Lynn Fulton-Archer, SCOLT began an initiative modeled after the Western Initiative for Language Leadership and supported by the Center for Applied Second Language Studies called the Southern Initiative for Language Leadership.

2010—SCOLT initiated the Friends of World Languages recognition and the Outstanding Teacher of the Year K-12 and Post Secondary was renamed Teacher of Excellence K-12 and Post-Secondary.

Herman Bostick set up a scholarship incentive for first-time conference attendees to be awarded at the 2010 and subsequent conferences.

2015—Two SCOLT members nominated by the Board of Directors received ACTFL Awards: Lexington School District One in Lexington, SC received the Melba D. Woodruff Award for Exemplary Elementary Foreign Language Program, District Supervisor, Alisha Dawn Samples pictured.

Carmen Scoggins from Watauga HS in Boone, NC received the ACTFL Award for Excellence in Foreign Language Instruction using Technology with IALLT (K-12).

2019—Ken Stewart initiated the Ken Stewart Future Language Educator Scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship is intended for high school senior who plans on a career as a world language educator.

2020—The SCOLT conference, to be held in Mobile, AL, had to be cancelled less than two weeks prior to the start of the conference due to the COVID19 pandemic.

2021—SCOLT nominated Dr. Krista Chambless, who received the Wilga Rivers Award for Leadership in World Language Education (Postsecondary).

2022 Teachers of the Year at return to an in-person conference in Norfolk, VA

2022—SCOLT’s journal, Dimension, changed its name to Dimensions.

Dr. Krista Chambless, President of SCOLT, was the 2022 recipient of the Excellence in Online Teaching Award from the Distance Learning SIG at ACTFL. Dr. Leslie Baldwin, SCOLT Executive Director, was the 2022 recipient of the Supervisor of the Year Award from the National Association of District Supervisors of Foreign Languages.

2023—Vista Higher Learning initiated their scholarship which awards $1000 to one high school senior and one college student in each of the five regions who demonstrates passion, leadership, and promise as a future language educator.

Lead by President, Dr. Krista Chambless, the SCOLT Board of Directors reviewed and updated the SCOLT logo, mission, vision and the Constitution and By-Laws. The changes were approved at the Sponsors and Patrons meeting in Atlanta in March, 2024.

SCOLT’s nominated candidates won the following ACTFL Awards: Chrissy Roe won the ACTFL/ IALLT Award for Excellence in World Language Instruction Using Technology (K-12), Dr. Bobby Hobgood won the ACTFL/Cengage/IALLT Postsecondary Award for Excellence in World Language Instruction Using Technology. Dr. Mark Linsky won the Florence Steiner Award for Leadership in World Language Education (K-12).

2024—SCOLT Representative, Dr. Krista Chambless, won the JNCL -NCLIS J. David Edwards Power of Advocacy Award.

Faces of SCOLT

The Southeast Association for Language Learning Technology (SEALLT) annually partners with SCOLT for the conference.

Pictured: Stacey Powell, Kristy Britt, Meredith White, Ari Gutman, Raegan Lemmond, and Jenny Faile,

Faces of SCOLT

SCOLT representatives advocate on Capitol Hill during JNCL-NCLIS Language Advocacy Day.

Where was SCOLT held?

1965—Atlanta, GA 1966—Atlanta, GA 1967—Atlanta, GA 1968—New Orleans, LA 1969—Atlanta, GA 1970—Jacksonville, FL 1971—Atlanta, GA 1972—Atlanta, GA* 1973—Atlanta, GA 1974—Atlanta, GA 1975—New Orleans, LA 1976—Atlanta, GA 1977—Orlando, FL 1978—San Antonio, TX 1979—Atlanta, GA 1980—Charleston, SC 1981—Atlanta, GA 1982—Richmond, VA 1983—New Orleans, LA 1984—Birmingham, AL 1985—Atlanta, GA 1986—Orlando, FL 1987—Atlanta, GA 1988—Charleston, SC 1989—Little Rock, AR 1990—Nashville, TN 1991—Raleigh Durham, NC 1992—Atlanta, GA 1993—Atlanta, GA 1994—Savannah, GA 1995—Charleston, SC 1996—Mobile, AL 1997—Myrtle Beach, SC 1998—Savannah, GA 1999—Virginia Beach, VA 2000—Birmingham, AL 2001—Myrtle Beach, SC 2002—Baton Rough, LA

2003—Atlanta, GA 2004—Mobile, AL 2005—Charlotte, SC 2006—Orlando, FL 2007—Atlanta, GA 2008—Myrtle Beach, SC 2009—Atlanta, GA 2010—Winston-Salem, NC 2011—Baton Rouge, LA 2012—Atlanta, GA 2013—Birmingham, AL 2014—Memphis, TN 2015—Atlanta, GA 2016—Charlotte, NC 2017—Orlando, FL 2018—Atlanta, GA 2019—Myrtle Beach, SC 2020—Mobile, AL (Cancelled) 2021—Atlanta, GA (virtual) 2022—Norfolk, VA 2023—Mobile, AL 2024—Atlanta, GA 2025—Nashville, TN *Joint with ACTFL

Who were the Presidents/Chairpersons?

1965—no elected officers 1966—no elected officers 1967—Louis J. Chatagnier, GA 1968—Louis J. Chatagnier, GA 1969—Louis J. Chatagnier, GA 1970—Herman Bostick, GA 1971—Herman Bostick, GA 1972—Herman Bostick, GA 1973—Herman Bostick, GA 1974—Genelle Morain, GA 1975—Joanna Crane, AL 1976—Max Gartman, AL 1977—Mary Metz, LA 1978—Frederick Jenks, FL 1979—William Heflin, TN 1980—Caro Feagin, GA 1981—Jack Brown, MS 1982—Howard Altman, KY 1983—William Holdbrooks, AL 1984—William Holdbrooks, AL 1985—Frank Medley, SC 1986—Christa Kirby, FL 1987—Robin Snyder, WV 1988—John Austin, GA 1989—Paula Fordham, SC 1990—Frank Medly, Bruce Fuller 1991—Rosalie Cheatham 1992—Robert Terry, Billie Edmonds 1993—Robert Terry, Billie Edmonds 1994—Billie Edmonds 1995—Billie Edmonds 1996—Anne Fountain 1997—Kathy White 1998—Kathy White 1999—Susan Blankenship 2000—David Alley 2001—Carolyn Hansen 2002—Maurice Cherry

2003—Sharon Rapp 2004—Peggy Bilbro 2005—Sue Barry 2006—Carol Wilkerson 2007—Jim Chestnut 2008—Norah Jones, VA 2009—Lynn Fulton-Archer 2010—Nancy Decker, FL 2011—Patricia Carlin 2012—Vernon LaCour 2013—Caroline Kelly 2014—June Carter 2015—Linda Zins-Adams, KY 2016—Carol Anne Costabile-Heming, TX 2017—Linda Markley, FL 2018—Tomas Soth, NC 2019—Carmen Scoggins, NC 2020—Carmen Scoggins, NC 2021—Bobby Hobgood, NC 2022—Bobby Hobgood, NC 2023—Krista Chambless, AL 2024—Krista Chambless, AL 2025—Pam Benton, FL

The 2021 conference was held virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. SCOLT Sponsors and Patrons still enjoyed a great reception and business meeting!

Herman Bostick

Lynne McClendon

David Jahner

Leslie Baldwin

Who were the Executive Directors/Secretaries/Treasurers?

1966-1973 Elisabeth G. Epting, SC 1973–1989 James S. Gates, GA; Herman Bostick, GA; C. Lee Bradley, GA 1990-2012 Lynn McClendon, GA 2012-2019 David Jahner, GA 2019-present Dr. Leslie Baldwin, NC

“The duties of the office have changed through the years from those of being a general secretary to those of being the chief executive officer who has been given the legal responsibilities of serving as custodian of the funds, the seal and the legal documents of the corporation. The Executive Secretary has always worked with the conference chairperson in planning developing and carrying out the annual conference, a feat of tremendous portions. Until the establishment in 1984 of the post of Editor of the Proceedings, the Executive Secretary received from the chairperson the manuscript of Dimension and had the task of getting the work copyrighted, published and distributed. The reduction in size of the board in 1982 resulted, among other things, in members becoming more involved in the operation of the organization from conference to conference. The Executive Secretary became less the tireless toiler and more the shrewd coordinator of all the many activities being carried out and designed to culminate in an outstanding annual conference. … A great professional commitment has been demonstrated by the persons who have served as Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Secretary [and Executive Director] of the Southern Conference.” -James S. Gates [addition by Pam Benton]

SCOLT World Language Teachers of the Year

2005 Ken Stewart, NC* 2006 Tracy Veler Knick, FL 2007 JC Morales, FL 2008 Carmen Scoggins, NC 2009 Linda Zins-Adams, KY 2010 Clarissa Adams-Fletcher, GA* 2011 Lisa Podbilski, FL 2012 Thomas Soth, NC 2013 Robert Patrick, GA 2014 Pamela Reynolds, AR 2015 Leni Bronstein, VA 2016 Laura Roche Youngworth, KY 2017 Dr. Brenna Byrd, KY 2018 Heidi Trude, VA 2019 Lisa Worthington-Groce, NC 2020 Elena Kamenetzky, KY* 2021 Jennifer White, AL 2022 Claudia Elliott, FL 2023 Dr. Ke Peng, KY 2024 Bertha Delgadillo, GA

*Ken Stewart (2005), Clarissa Adams-Fletcher (2010) and Elena Kamenetzky (2020) were all selected as ACTFL World Language Teacher of the Year.

Looking to the Future What a rich and wonderful history this organization has! It is a privilege to be a part of this SCOLT milestone, celebrating 60 years as a professional organization.

As we look back on SCOLT’s rich history, it is also appropriate to consider what lies in store for the future. It is apparent that our society and our needs change over time, and SCOLT has adapted to those changes over the years. We know that technology will continue to evolve rapidly, the “baby boomer” generation is retiring, our population is more diverse each day, and the COVID pandemic impacted us all – adults and children alike. Amidst these changes, other things remain the same. There is always a need for educators to be supported through opportunities for professional learning, collaboration, recognition of achievement, research, and developing leadership skills. SCOLT will continue to carry out its mission to “[foster] impactful World Language education for all leaners by connecting and empowering language educators.” This mission is timeless. The ways in which we accomplish the mission may change as we adapt to new resources and the needs of teachers. As has been done in the past, SCOLT will embrace these changes and continue to adapt, working with language educators across the southeast and beyond, to continue to be relevant and impactful for all stakeholders. We will continue to be advocates for language educators, programs, legislation, funding, and initiatives. Thank you to all who began this journey 60 years ago, and to all who continue to support SCOLT, helping the organization to meet the high standards that were set in the beginning. It is exciting to see what the next 60 years will bring – be sure to join us on the journey!

Dr. Leslie Baldwin SCOLT Executive Director

Dr. Leslie Baldwin and Dr. Bobby Hobgood, former SCOLT President Pam Benton, Dr. Leslie Baldwin, and Dr. Krista Chambless represent SCOLT at the ACTFL Assembly of Delegates

Information to complete this historical record was drawn from a number of published and unpublished resources including: Communication Beyond the Classroom: Dimension 2010 Perspectives and Horizons, Dimension: Languages ‘89 Dimension: Languages 65 Dimension: Languages 66 Dimension: Languages 67 Dimension: Languages 68 Dimension: Languages 70 Dimension: Languages 71 Dimension: Languages 72 Dimension: Languages 73 Dimension ‘74 The Fourth Southern Conference on Language Teaching Program SCOLTalk Newsletters 2013-2025 Documents from members, Board of Directors & Executive Directors This record was compiled by Pam Benton and published March 2025 by the Southern Conference on Language Teaching in celebration of the 60th SCOLT Conference. Any mistakes are Pam Benton’s.