ACADEMIC PRIZES
The Prix Sandi VanAusdal d'Enthousiasme Pour le Français honors Connecticut students of French who embody a passion and enthusiasm for French as exemplified by former AATF-CT Comité Exécutif member Sandra VanAusdal. A French teacher for more than 20 years, Mme VanAusdal brought a love for the French language and culture of the francophone world to her classes every day through engaging cultural and speaking activities.
Recipients of this award exude a similar passion for all things French/francophone; they seek out opportunities to practice speaking French, crave learning more about the francophone world, and demonstrate a profound desire to understand cultures other than their own.
Candidates must be elementary, middle school, high school, or university French students enrolled in a French course this academic year. Each nominating French teacher must be an active member of the AATF-CT for this calendar year. Each teacher may award up to three (3) awards per academic year. (Not an active member? Click HERE to join/renew.)
This prize is FREE for all active AATF members with local Connecticut chapter dues paid for this calendar year.
You can check your membership status at frenchteachers.org/login and logging into your Member Compass.
Student recipients will receive a personalized certificate (delivered electronically to their teacher) that can be printed, shared, and publicized.
Submissions are open from February 15th to April 30th each year.
2025 Prizes open to ALL juniors/seniors studying French in Connecticut:
The AATF CT Tom Betts Senior Prize - $1000.00
The AATF CT Alberta Conte Junior Prize - $500.00
Winners of AATF-CT & AF-NWCT prizes, recorded over time:
50% = CT public school students
50% = CT private school students
• All Junior/Senior Prize applications will be due by 5:00 pm EST on Saturday, March 1st, 2025.
• Each CT school district may nominate no more than one Junior and one Senior per academic year.
• Applicants may not come from a home where French is the primary spoken language and may not have lived or studied in a French-speaking country for more than eight weeks.
• As part of the qualifying process, finalists will be interviewed (via Zoom) in French by a committee of French teachers on Sunday, March 16th, 2025
• In an effort to avoid bias, judges will not see applicants' basic personal information (such as name, town, school, teacher, etc.).
Application Process = Easy.
The 2-step application process has been streamlined to make it very easy to apply.
There is virtually no work for teachers to do!
Step 1:
Students complete online application form w. short essay via links below:
JUNIOR PRIZE APPLICATION
SENIOR PRIZE APPLICATION
Step 2:
Students email a scanned copy or clear photo of 2 items to info@aatfct.org
(with the student's full name in the email subject line and body):
• A writing sample in French, done as a class assignment from this academic year or last year that has been graded by a French teacher. All personally identifiable information should be blacked out with an indelible marker before being scanned and submitted (so that judges avoid bias when they determine finalists).
• An unofficial (student) copy of high school transcript. All personally identifiable information should be blacked out with an indelible marker before being scanned and submitted (so that judges avoid bias when they determine finalists).
Note that there is NO teacher recommendation letter needed.
Any questions?
Please contact AATF President Jon Shee at info@aatfct.org.