Imagine leaving the excitement of our nation's capital, in order to be surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of rural life in Kent County. Big difference, huh?

However, this is true of Kent County High School Spanish teacher, Mary Lee Martelli. Señora Martelli has been teaching for many years and is notorious for her energetic personality. It is evident that she tries to connect with students on a personal level. On the first day of school, Ms. Martelli hands out a worksheet that ranges from questions about the students' siblings to their favorite television show and stuffed animals. Also, she does not mind telling them about her own life. For example, "Martelli" was actually her grandmother's last name, but she decided to change her name and not take her husband's.

Walking through the 300 Wing in the morning, you are sure to hear Ms. Martelli greeting people, in Spanish of course. "Hóla chica! Qué tal?" At the end of every semester, Ms. Martelli advises her students to continue their lives in Spanish- whether they are dreaming or speaking to friends and family members.

So, what did Ms. Martelli do before coming to Kent County? In Washington, D.C., she worked as an assistant to the Information Counselour in the Spanish Embassy. She also was the assistant to the Bureau Chief of Agencia Efe (in D.C.).

What then, made Ms. Martelli want to teach Spanish? "My love of words and fascination with human communication explains my love of language. Spanish is a fascinating language." Besides Spanish, Ms. Martelli can also speak Latin, French, Italian, and German.

When asked about her motivation for teaching, Ms. Martelli said, "I believe teaching is a form of magic. I love Spanish, I love to teach and I love teenagers." there are many lessons that Ms. Martelli wants to convey to her students. These things include, "A love of learning anything, hard work is a joy, and generosity of spirit."

But now. . . what do her students think? Christa Frison, who is in Ms. Martelli's second period (Spanish 3 class) says that her first impression of the experienced teacher was that she was remarkably fluent in Spanish. "Ms. Martelli really knows what she's doing! She is able to use unconventional learning techniques and this helps a lot." These techniques include the handing out of paper pesos (money) for participation and matching vocabulary games that are played with fly swatters. These competitive games are aimed at increasing participation throughout the class. "They make reviewing for quizzes fun and effective."

"Viva la lingua de Español!"