Central States 2026 Highlights

This year's Central States Conference, held at the historic Palmer House Hotel, was one of the best! This year's theme was Languages are FUN-damental!

KSWLA was pleased to have Vice-President Karen Gipson, Secretary Amanda Benavidez-Williams, Advocacy Chair Amanda Mendoza, and Northwest Regional Representative Rebecca Werthmann representing our great state at the conference this year!

Vice-President Karen Gipson participated in the 2026 Central States Leadership Academy, led by KSWLA Secretary and Central States Chair of the Leadership Academy, Amanda Benavidez-Williams. With participants from eight different states represented, this year's theme was focused on Everyday Advocacy led by Amanda Beck (Central States Advocacy Chair) and Amy Hammerand (Chicago Public Schools World Languages Manager).

(Amanda Benavidez-Williams, second from the left / Karen Gipson, second from the right)

The 2026 Central States Teacher of the Year is Dr. Sarah Sinnot, Spanish teacher from South Dakota.

Dr. Elke Lorenz represented Kansas as our Teacher of the Year and was recognized on Friday Evening during the Awards Ceremony. Elke was one of ten TOY candidates this year. Congratulations to Elke!

Keynote speaker, comedian Dustin Siebold, shared with over 800 conference attendees the Laughter in Lesson--an inspiring keynote on the power and science behind laughter and the human connection.

Conference Experiences shared by your KSWLA Board:

From Vice-President Karen Gipson

The next leg of the journey (note: Karen Gipson and Amanda Mendoza represented Kansas at this year's Language Advocacy Days hosted by JNCL-NCLIS in Washington D.C. two days before the Cetnral States Conference) took Amanda and me to Chicago for the Central States Conference at the Palmer House Hotel.  Over 850 language teachers from 14 states came to the Windy (and snowy!) City to connect with each other and engage in some powerful professional development.  I wish I had had the time to attend even more sessions and workshops, but honestly I was overloaded with the 8 sessions, 2 mixers, and 1 luncheon that I participated in.  The Central States Conference is hands-down the best PD anyone can get.  There is a wealth of knowledge and strategies that people are willing to share; three sessions I participated in were led by current and former Teacher of the Year candidates or winners and let me say – you know exactly why their home states present these fantastic teachers as the best of the best.  It is my sincere hope that even more Kansas language teachers step up to support Rebecca Werthmann in Lansing, Michigan in 2027 as she represents us as the Kansas Teacher of the Year.  

From Secretary Amanda Benavidez-Williams

It was my sincere pleasure to represent Kansas both as a KSWLA Board member and a Central States Board member. As I reflect upon this year's theme, Languages are FUN-damental and the Keynote entrance to the Blue's Brothers "Everybody needs somebody," I am reminded of how powerful our voice can be when we stand together. Over 100 sessions offered, the Friendly Luncheon, celebrating the TOY candidates from 10 different states in the region, this year's conference was inspiring, informative, and engaging. I was lucky enough to attend a few sessions on top of my Board duties and leading the Leadership Academy this year--Write, Reflect, Repeat: Using Annotation and Portfolios for Proficiency Growth, and Teaching Tenses with Purpose: Bad Bunny, Puerto Rico, and the Power of a Story were standouts for me! I look forward to continuing to represent Kansas as the KSWLA Secretary and as a Central States Board member next year, as well. I hope that you'll join us in Lansing, MI as we cheer on Rebecca Werthmann as she represents our state as our 2027 TOY!

From Northwest Regional Representative Rebecca Werthmann

My favorite session I attended at this year’s Central States conference was “Teaching Tenses with a Purpose: Bad Bunny, Puerto Rico, and the Power of a Story” by the wonderfully talented teacher and presenter, Alexis Blum of Ohio. In this session, Alexis spoke about a unit she created and teaches in her advanced Spanish classes based on Bad Bunny’s song Debí Tirar Más Fotos. The unit focuses on teaching the preterite and imperfect tenses through incorporating meaningful personalized messages about storytelling, memories, and childhood. Additionally, Alexis spoke on themes from Bad Bunny’s album including cultural identity and gentrification in Puerto Rico. I am excited to take what I have learned from Alexis and incorporate it into my own classes next year!