MADISON – Two language teachers with Madison City Schools have received grants to enhance the study of the German language in their classrooms.

Eva Clifton teaches German classes at Discovery and Journey middle schools. Dr. Jennifer Francois is the teacher for German at Liberty Middle School. Clifton and Francois are recipients of two microgrants.

They secured the grants for $300 from the Language Connects Foundation or LCF/Vista Classroom Microgrant program affiliated with American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages or ACTFL.

The Language Connects Foundation is a national not-for-profit and philanthropic organization. The foundation was created in partnership with the parent organization, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, to uplift language educators and champion the field of language education.

Clifton and Francois will use the microgrants to support their classrooms and schools. Clifton will buy several different canvases that show German landmarks, along with additional posters to display vocabulary words. These new purchases will help to create a more immersive learning environment by adding prints to the classroom walls.

Francois will use her microgrant funds to have her German 1 students host a Teacher Appreciation event focusing on Viennese Coffee House Culture. Students will prepare a visual to display at the event that explains different aspects of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO and its Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Viennese Coffee House Culture.

In addition, Francois will use the donation to supply teachers with an Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel) and Wiener Melange (Viennese coffee blend) refreshments and break after finishing Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program or ACAP testing.

The James Clemens students will showcase their research about Austria and provide teachers with an interactive treat to enjoy after testing. One of the traditions of the Viennese Coffee House Culture is the ability to relax and regroup while enjoying a snack and reading to expand personal horizons for an individual.

At James Clemens, the language department also includes Spanish teachers Brittany Bankston, Mary Crouch and Felisa Vess; French teacher Katie Greene; Latin teacher Allison Shratter; and German teacher Peggy Boynton.