Dr. Lori Winne has been a co-director of Camp OFLA since its beginning in 2005. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction and contributed 36 years to foreign language education in Toledo Public Schools as an administrator and teacher. Before her retirement, Lori taught elementary German and Spanish, which she has also taught at camp. Dr. Winne will be the Program Director for Camp OFLA 2021.
Mr. Lucas Hoffman has been a French teacher for Camp OFLA since 2005. He has also acted as co-director and web master in recent years. Currently a French and Spanish teacher for the Sylvania Schools, Lucas is also CPR trained. For Camp OFLA 2021, Mr. Hoffman will act as the Assistant Program Director in charge of daily camp activities.
Ms. Lee Bishop has been a Japanese teacher for Camp OFLA since 2005. She has also acted as co-director in the past. She currently teaches Japanese, ESL and international seminar for Columbus City Schools and is completing her Ph.D in teacher education at the Ohio State University. For Camp OFLA 2021, Ms Bishop will be the Instructional Lead, assisting the Arabic, Chinese and Russian teachers in curriculum and implementation.
Mrs. Laura Helpman is the head Russian teacher for Camp OFLA 2021. She has a teaching degree in Russian and gifted education and currently teaches Russian for Toledo Public Schools. She has taught Russian for Camp OFLA, acted as camp nurse, and co-directed.
- Mr. Jack Smolenski has worked at camp as a Russian counselor. He also spent the summer in Russia as a camp counselor in 2019. A graduate of BGSU in Music, Jack is the University Russian Assistant for Camp OFLA 2021.
Mr. Dennis Steinbeck earned his M.Ed. in World Language from The Ohio State University is currently a Chinese teacher at Columbus North International School. He spent 5 years teaching in China and Mongolia. He has skills in social studies, music and rugby. This is his first year at Camp OFLA.
Mrs. Jing Tan is a Ph.D. student in Educational Leadership at Miami University. She is a graduate assistant who teaches sociocultural education at Miami. She has taught younger students as well at the Dayton Regional STEM School. This is her first year at Camp OFLA.
Ms. Zaynab Alfaham is a heritage speaker of Arabic. She was a camper at Camp OFLA as a sixth grader when her mother was an Arabic teacher. She works in Columbus, studied linguistics at The Ohio State University and has worked as a kindergarten assistant.
Ms. Shatha Alhawamdeh is a Ph.D. student in translation studies at Kent State University. While pursuing her degree, she is a teaching assistant in Arabic. Ms. Alhawamdeh earned her B.A. in English Language and Literature from Tafila Technical University in Jordan where she also lectured for four years.
Mrs. Andrea Maurice is returning to Camp OFLA for her third year. She has been an elementary Spanish teacher and currently instructs Spanish at Stow Middle School. She will act as the Activities Director, working with the language teachers to lead games, crafts, songs and special activities in Arabic, Chinese and Russian.
Ms. Alicia Winne is a licensed social worker. She is certified in CPR and First Aid. Alicia spent her teenage years at Templed Hills and loves coming back to help with Camp OFLA.
Mr. Jesse Baum has been a HS Russian counselor and head cook for Camp OFLA. He has also spend several summers as an activities director for Templed Hills as well as Lager Druzhba in Russia. Currently Mr. Baum is an administrator for Glass City Academy in Toledo. He will act as the Head Cook at Camp OFLA 2021.
Mrs. Whitney Schlagetter teaches junior high and high school French for Sylvania Schools and has taught French for Camp OFLA for four years. This year she will be testing her language and culinary skills in the kitchen.
Joye Gilbert is a student of Chinese and Japanese at Middlebury College in Vermont. She has worked two years as a Japanese counselor at Camp OFLA and is volunteering in the kitchen this summer.
Mrs. Sharon Common volunteered in the kitchen in 2019 and is practicing her Russian to return to the kitchen this year. She is also a great vegetarian cook.