At the beginning, the students sign an oath that they will not speak a word of English before the closing ceremony. Once this oath is lifted at the end, they can speak English if they wish… few are interested.
Paul R. (Dick) Kuettner
Program Coordinator
WELCOME!
Welcome to the official website of the Virginia Governor's Spanish Academy! Here you will find important program information such as course descriptions, staff biographies, and daily schedules. Enjoy exploring this site and reading the posts from academy students.
History and Summary
The Virginia Governor's Spanish Academy originated in 1986 following the creation of the French Academy. The German and Spanish Academies began the following year. All three total immersion programs aim to provide an exemplary foreign language learning experience. Since 2011, Washington and Lee University has hosted the Spanish Academy, welcoming the next generation of linguists to its opportunity-rich, three-week program for linguistic and cultural enrichment.
Throughout the program, the Commonwealth's most talented and enthusiastic global language students participate in intensive language and culture studies, all while speaking, listening, reading, and writing exclusively in Spanish. These students are local to the Commonwealth, but the team members come from all over the world. From morning to evening, students participate in a variety of activities and classes that promote diverse cultures and linguistic approaches in the target language.
For more information, please visit the VDOE website:
Visit the VDOE website for Academies.
In the News
“Language Academies Adjust to Virtual Summer” (Franklin, 2020)
“W&L to Continue Hosting the Virginia Governor’s Foreign Language Academies” (Sackett, 2016)
"No English allowed!" (Hausman, 2013)
"No Cells, No iPods, No English: Governor's Language Academies at W&L" (Hanna, 2013)
"Virginia Governor's Language Academies Begin at W&L" (Cline, 2012)
"W&L to Host Three Virginia Governor's Language Academies" (Tschiggfrie, 2011)
The students show their "pride" before a football match.
(The Spanish Academy 2015)
"Voices of the Academy"
Among the many other academic and extracurricular activities of the program, the Virginia Governor's World Language Academies frequently organize radio programs.
There are a variety of presentation topics, but they generally cover food, entertainment, greetings, cooking, book recommendations, music, and so on.
Students create these publications with the help of a professor and mentor from each academy thanks to Washington and Lee University Radio (WLUR).
The objective of this project is to develop knowledge in the field of oral expression, using the different stages of brainstorming, writing and finalizing the text, while practicing diction and voice projection.
Click the button to listen to an episode of the 2021 Academies radio show. It's worth it!
The Spanish section begins at 37 minutes and 35 seconds.
Memories of the Academy
The director dressed as Frida Kahlo
(The Academy 2016)
A visit to VMFA in Richmond, Virginia
(The Academy 2016)
The mentor (RA) demonstrates her skill in preparing empanadas
(The Academy 2015)