WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Jen Hasler-Troutman, dedicated to inspiring a passion for Spanish and Hispanic cultures, is the recipient of a prestigious honor, Indiana Teacher of the Year.

Her innovative teaching and genuine care for students have made her a guiding light in the Westfield community.

“I do consider myself fortunate to have received this now to get a chance to talk with people like you about the importance of language learning and culture learning and having more of a global awareness and interacting with people that may not have the same experience as you,” said the Spanish teacher at Westfield High School.

The Indiana Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese selected Hasler-Troutman for the honor. The association says her ability to create a dynamic and engaging classroom environment has earned her the admiration of both her colleagues and the administration.

Mayah Lopez, a Westfield senior, said, “I’d say a large way that she’s helped me to appreciate Spanish and Spanish culture is teach us about the actual culture. Many times in my past Spanish classes, we would just learn the language, but not much about the different cultures, and she does very well in making sure that we understand what life is like in different countries,” says a senior student, .

“I think one of the things that I love most about Jen Hasler-Troutman is her dedication to seeing where language can take people. She has kept in touch with students for decades and has seen their language learning journey take them farther in real life. They come back as guest speakers and share with our younger students that learning a language isn’t just about gaining a credit, it’s a way to connect with people around the world,” says Content Area Director of World Languages, Stacey O’Brien.

Hasler-Troutman has been a driving force for the school’s World Language Department, sharing her three decades of expertise and mentoring fellow teachers beyond the classroom. Her willingness to collaborate has made her a respected leader among her peers and students.

“I think one of the keys is building connections among the students. I want to have connections with my students too, but sometimes if I’m approaching them they get really quiet because they are afraid to make a mistake in front of me. But, with each other.. they jump in and give it a try and use their Spanish,” says Spanish teacher at Westfield High School, Jen Hasler-Troutman.

Westfield High School achieved a 100% pass rate in AP Spanish Literature and Culture the last three years. Hasler-Troutman’s colleagues and community eagerly await to see what her inspirational teaching style will bring next Westfield High School.

“One of the things that we talk about quite a bit is getting training for AP so we can also be able to teach AP classes. I still have a few more years in the career, but I would like to prepare others to carry on what we’ve started here. I think it’s pretty cool to be able to work with younger and newer teachers and help them find their way to professional development that will help learn and grow. Ultimately, leading more students to learn and grow,” says Hasler-Troutman.