2019 marks the PRTESOL 50th Anniversary as a TESOL Affiliate! As we commemorate this significant milestone, together we look back to celebrate our impact supporting professional development, research, and the teaching of English in Puerto Rico. It was on September of 1969 that PRTESOL came to life. Everything began during a meeting held in the auditorium of Colegio Las Madres in Santurce, Puerto Rico. Francisca “Paquita” Ayala became PRTESOL’s first president. In 1972, PRTESOL hosted its first annual convention.

First president of PRTESOL

Second president of PRTESOL

One of the first PRTESOL Grams

Program book for PRTESOL’s 7th Annual Convention

PRTESOL is composed of a main Board of Directors and 4 chapters, each with its own Board of Directors. All of the professionals that voluntarily work for the organization are committed to the teaching of English in Puerto Rico at all academic levels. As an example of this dedication and hard work it is important to mention that last year, PRTESOL held 5 half-day events, 3 full-day events, a Leadership Summit, a Summer Institute, a Spelling Bee Contest, and the Annual Convention. Furthermore, PRTESOL published a Bulletin from the Board and 3 PRTESOL Grams. The organization is very active on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Its webpage, www.prtesol.org, is constantly updated to keep its constituents informed. We invite you to stay tuned so you can receive more news about our 50^th anniversary celebration. In the meantime, PRTESOL is getting ready to hold its 45^th Annual Convention: Relevant and Resilient: ESL Educators Impacting their Communities. The convention will be held at the University of Turabo in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, on November 2 and 3, 2018.

It has been a long journey full of memories, challenges, and fulfilling experiences. After 47 presidents, 18 Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, 44 conventions and countless hours of professional development provided to our members, we look forward to continuing the excellence of PRTESOL for the next 50 years and beyond.

Bio:

Dr. Jennifer Alicea-Castillo obtained a Doctoral Degree in Education, Curriculum and Teaching from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in 2008. In 2012, she finished a Post-Doctoral degree with the University of Jaén, Spain on Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Dr. Alicea has been an English teacher for the last twenty- one years. She currently works at the University of Puerto Rico-Ponce as a Full Professor of English and the Director of the Planning and Institutional Research Office. Finally, she is the Immediate Past President of PRTESOL.