57 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine EDUCATION When she was young, Louise Fay Despres hailed from a family of educators and began learning the French language upon instruction from her mother. Swiftly developing a passion for the language, she moved to France while coming of age and studied the pipe organ with teacher Nadia Boulanger at the Fontainebleau School of Fine Arts. Upon returning to the United States, Ms. Despres received a BA in French from Connecticut College in 1966. Following her receipt of her bachelor’s degree, Ms. Despres taught at North Haven High School in their foreign language program from 1967 to 1969, whereupon she then taught third through sixth grade at High Plains Elementary School for one year. In 1970, she joined the faculty at New Canaan High School, where she served as an instructor of French language for several decades until her retirement in 2012. During her tenure at New Canaan High School, Ms. Despres also taught Advanced Placement French language and literature, was a supervisor of curriculum and instruction, and served as chair of the department of world languages. Although she resigned from full-time work in 2007, she remained with New Canaan High School as a part-time French and Spanish teacher until 2012. Also holding an MA in teaching French from Brown University and an MA in French from Middlebury College, Ms. Despres has spent her time in retirement by serving her local community in civic, educational and human services capacities. She previously served as a volunteer of projects through the Hyde Park Union Church of Chicago and University of Chicago Service League. Shortly thereafter, she relocated to Virginia, where she currently participates with the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church Hunger and Homeless Committee. Committed to the Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Sisterhood, she recently stepped down as co-president of the Williamsburg Reciprocity Chapter. For her success, Ms. Despres earned the 1994 New England College Board Advanced Placement Teacher Recognition Award and the 2001 Pegasus Pride Award from the Connecticut Council of Language Teachers. LOUISE FAY DESPRES SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATOR OF WORLD LANGUAGES (RETIRED) New Canaan High School Williamsburg, VA
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