Eastern High School Teacher named 2021 National Language Teacher of the Year

Elena Kamenetzky is first KY teacher to earn the distinction

November 25, 2020 – Elena Kamenetzky, a Japanese teacher at Eastern High School, has been named National Language Teacher of the Year by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

Her award marks the first time a Kentucky teacher has earned the national distinction.

Elena Kamenetzky, Foreign Language Teacher of the Year
“It just feels really good to be recognized, especially at a time when a lot of us teachers are struggling to do the basic stuff that we used to do in the classroom,” Kamenetzky said.  “It’s nice to know there’s that recognition out there – not just for me but for every teacher who has to work extra hard.”

A self-described shy girl in school, she always knew she wanted to be a teacher, but assumed she would teach English.  Then, on a dare from a friend, she took a Japanese class – and fell in love with the language.

“Learning Japanese is challenging but very rewarding,” she said.  “Studying a character-based language improves cognitive abilities, and you learn to appreciate a culture that is so warm and welcoming.  The dividends keep paying back.”

It’s a lesson she strives to pass on to her students at Eastern, some of whom join her for a two-week summer trip to Japan every two years.  This year’s trip was sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic, but Kamenetzky hopes to resume the trips in 2022.

As ACTFL’s Teacher of the Year, she’ll serve as spokesperson for foreign language learning, sharing her perspective with other educators and policy makers on how important it is for these programs to exist for all students. “Every student should have access to learning another language,” Kamenetzky said. “Just studying another language improves your own linguistic ability in your primary language.”

Interest in her course has been growing – some students take her class for career-related purposes, some are intrigued by the culture, and still others are interested in Japanese anime or video games.

It’s knowledge she’s proud to impart on her students.

“I’ve been really fortunate to teach this – I feel really enthusiastic and passionate about that,” she said.  “I think there’s a real hunger to learn not just about the language but about the Japanese culture.”