“One language sets you on a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.”
– Frank Smith, Canadian psycholinguist
Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of our mission at Project Education are the many thousands of doors we help educators open for students every day – doors to understanding, opportunity and achievement. It’s life-changing work, and there may be no greater champion of it than Jayson Hammett, our Director of Program Management.
Jayson was recently named 2020’s “Texas TESOLer of the Year” Texas TESOL Region V, which extends from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex to Abilene. If that sounds somewhat obscure to you, “TESOL” stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Once you know that – and you consider just this award represents – you can see why Jayson says of the award “It’s one of my proudest achievements … so far.”
Rightfully so, Jayson. The award is in acknowledgement of significant service, support, and leadership in the field of language acquisition to advance progress for students. TexTESOL is professional development organization for educators who work with students and adults to promote English proficiency while still recognizing and celebrating the students’ primary languages and cultures.
TexTESOL provides scholarships to English Learners to attend college, produces newsletters highlighting the latest research in education, and provides a yearly conference where educators learn and share with each other.
Jayson has devoted his career in to helping ELL (English Language Learning) students succeed in language acquisition. He has served in numerous leadership positions in public schools, gaining experience in all aspects of instructional design, delivery, and intervention.
Now, at Project Education, Jayson continues his work in improving student outcomes by developing breakthrough tools for teachers and schools. He has been instrumental in the design of proficiency tracking and targeted intervention software for meeting ELL needs. These tools have proven so effective and beneficial that they have been adopted in numerous states for all types of students.
“It’s about more than language,” says Jayson. “School-age children are navigating profound social and emotional needs, often in uncertain or virtual environments. It’s not easy. But Project Education is here to help teachers to create communication opportunities that open doors for their students. “
“Jayson is an inspiration to us all. His passion for helping students and teachers shines through in everything he does.”
– Steve Navarre, CEO and Co-Founder, Project Education