Ms. Agueda Nava Javier, an esteemed academic coach at ASU Prep Phoenix, was recently awarded the Fulbright U.S. Distinguished Teaching Award. This accolade is bestowed by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Ms. Nava Javier is one of 20 U.S. citizens chosen for the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program in 2024. This award exemplifies her commitment to sustainable education, aligning with the program’s mission to support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovative and climate change curriculum.
Promoting sustainable teaching methods across the globe
The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program sends expert K–12 educators to countries worldwide to contribute to projects in schools, teacher training colleges, government ministries, or educational non-governmental organizations.
As part of the program, Ms. Nava Javier will spend six weeks this summer in Batea School in a small town in Spain. There she will help create curriculum, train teachers, and implement a program promoting sustainability. The project will focus on integrating United Nations Sustainability Development Goals into the curriculum, including schoolwide lessons and full curricula that raise awareness among students.
Having dedicated more than a decade to the field of education, Ms. Nava Javier brings a wealth of experience, including teaching middle school math and science as well as chemistry and geometry at ASU Prep Phoenix high school. Her journey into sustainable education began with a profound passion cultivated during her time at ASU’s Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Teacher’s Academy.
Now an academic coach at ASU Prep in downtown Phoenix, Ms. Nava Javier will serve as a cultural ambassador as part of the program, fostering connections between the United States and Spain. As part of this global initiative, she will collaborate with educators and administrators to advance sustainable teaching methods, focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities presented by Batea School.
The Fullbright legacy comes to ASU Prep Phoenix
Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from 160 countries with opportunities to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to solving global challenges.
Ms. Nava Javier’s journey represents the enduring commitment of the U.S. government and partner countries worldwide to international educational exchange. With a particular emphasis on promoting climate change curriculum and sustainable teaching methods, the goal is to implement more globally conscious education.
Fulbrighters, like Ms. Nava Javier, not only contribute to projects abroad but also expand their professional networks, fostering collaborations that often endure beyond the duration of the program. When they return to U.S. classrooms, they share international experiences and encourage colleagues and students to explore global opportunities, including the integration of an innovative climate change curriculum.
ASU Prep’s vision to integrate sustainability initiatives
Ms. Nava Javier is most enthusiastic about the prospect of implementing the knowledge gained from her Fulbright project in Batea, Spain, into a schoolwide initiative at ASU Prep Phoenix. She plans to share the best practices she learns during her international experience, conducting professional development sessions both statewide and within the ASU Prep school community.
By modeling effective sustainable teaching methods and collaborating with educators, she aims to facilitate the implementation of a comprehensive climate change program, creating a ripple effect extending beyond her own classroom and positively impacting the entire ASU Prep community.
Beyond the journey
The Fulbright legacy of encouraging global exchange aligns seamlessly with ASU Prep’s vision. The benefits of Ms. Nava Javier’s international experience will undoubtedly create a transformative impact within the entire ASU Prep community.
As she integrates her newfound knowledge into a schoolwide initiative, focusing on United Nations Sustainability Development Goals, ASU Prep stands poised to embrace a more globally conscious education, thereby amplifying the institution’s commitment to excellence and international educational exchange.
Disclaimer: This blog post is not an official U.S. Department of State blog. The views and information presented are the Fullbright Participant’s own and do not represent the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program, the U.S. Department of State, or IREX.
