Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Leone High School teacher Latalata Samuelu has been awarded a James Madison Fellowship by the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation of Alexandria, Virginia.

According to Foundation representative Sheila Osborne, a total of 53 fellowships were awarded in 2019 and for Samuelu, this means the fellowship will fund up to $24,000 of her studies towards a master's degree. (The program must include a concentration of courses on the history and principles of the United States Constitution).

Osbourne said Samuelu was selected in competition with other applicants from American Samoa. Additional fellowships were awarded in each of the states.

"The award is intended to recognize promising and distinguished teachers, to strengthen their knowledge of the origins and development of American constitutional government, and thus to expose the nation's secondary school students to accurate knowledge of the nation's constitutional heritage."

Samuelu is a Leone resident who attended Samoa College in 1991-1993 and then moved on to Henry Foss HS in Tacoma, WA where she graduated in 1994. She attended the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji and graduated in 1999 with a BA in Language and Literature; History/Politics (double major).

Named the 2018 Gilder Lehrman Institute History Teacher of the Year for the US Territories, Samuelu is the daughter of Rev. Elder Dr. Reupena Samuelu and the late Sina Taulapapa-Samuelu and Faava Aigasagauifaleai Puletua-Samuelu.

She has been teaching for nearly two decades, and has spent the last 17 years at the Home of the Lions, where she teaches World History and US History, and serves as Social Studies Department Head.

When asked about her plans now that she's been awarded the Fellowship, Samuelu told Samoa News over the weekend, "I will finally realize my dream of pursuing a master's degree. I did not have the greatest GPA in college (which is why I urge my students not to play around with their future by just getting by with a passing grade) and it has been difficult to get into a graduate program because of it."

It's been 20 years since Samuelu received her bachelor's degree and she says her long term goal is to "continue to contribute to the improvement of Social Studies education in the future — whether as a classroom teacher… or as a history education consultant. The possibilities are out there."

Samuelu has been accepted to Ashland University in Ohio for the Master of Arts (MA) in American History and Government program, which starts in summer 2020. Her goal is to complete the program in the summer of 2023.

When asked about her reaction when she first got the news, Samuelu said, "At first, I was speechless because you hear horror stories about teachers who have applied more than one time and still not get the award."

She said she got the phone call when the Lions were showcasing their Flag Day performance.

"In short, it was a chaotic morning. There was so much noise I had to walk out of the school gym to catch what the caller was saying. I had tears in my eyes when it became clear she was calling to confirm the news. It took me a couple of hours to really have the news sink in. I am thankful to God for without His blessings and guidance — putting the right people in my path to help me through the whole process; and making me go through circumstances that have led to this auspicious opportunity for me — this would not have happened. I am also very humbled because for several years I had put off furthering my education, and the future of me pursuing a higher degree just seemed out of reach."

She concluded, "I know its sappy, but I’d like to empower other 'older educators' to pursue higher levels of education, searching for opportunities similar to the James Madison Senior Fellowship. My outlook on life is a lot brighter, my step is a lot lighter, and my whole approach to grabbing opportunities offered, is a lot more positive."

(Samoa News congratulates Samuelu and wishes her well on her life’s journey.)

ABOUT THE JAMES MADISON FELLOWSHIP

The James Madison Fellowship "supports further study of American history by college graduates who aspire to become teachers of American history, American government, and social studies in the nation's secondary schools, as well as by experienced secondary school teachers of the same subjects."

Named in honor of the fourth President of the United States, known as the "Father of the Constitution and Bill of Rights," the fellowship — funded by income from a trust fund in the US Treasury and from additional private gifts, corporate contributions, and foundation grants - requires the recipient to teach American history or social studies in a secondary school for at least one year for each year of fellowship support.

Founded by an act of Congress in 1986, the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation is an independent agency of the Executive Branch of the federal government. In addition to offering fellowships, the Foundation undertakes other activities relating to secondary school education about the Constitution's history.

More information can be obtained at <www.jamesmadison.gov>