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Nathan Campbell is a nationally recognized Spanish educator with more than two decades of experience advancing language learning through classroom instruction, curriculum leadership, and professional advocacy. He has taught Spanish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania since 2005 and at Manheim Central Senior High School since 2008, where he works across all levels—from novice learners to Advanced Placement—and has played a central role in redesigning the district’s world language curriculum to strengthen proficiency and student engagement.

 

A National Board-Certified Teacher in World Languages since 2010, Nathan holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Spanish education from Millersville University. His certification reflects deep content expertise, reflective teaching practice, and sustained contributions to the profession.

 

Beyond the classroom, Nathan serves as World Languages Department Chair at Manheim Central, vice president of the teachers’ association, and a member of the district’s academic committee. Since 2019, he has also served as co-editor of the Pennsylvania Language Forum, PSMLA’s premier language education journal, and as Pennsylvania State Director of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, as well as co-director of the Association of World Language Educators.

 

Nathan’s leadership extends into advocacy and public policy. He is an advocate with the Pennsylvania State Education Association serving as an ACE—Advocate for Children and Education and also works with JNCL-NCLIS to advance funding and policies that support language education and student opportunity and to elevate the voices of educators and learners.

 

A frequent presenter at ACTFL, NECTFL, and PSMLA, Nathan has led international student travel and cultural initiatives that bring language learning to life. His work has been recognized with numerous honors, including PSMLA’s Outstanding World Language Educator Award, Manheim Central Secondary Teacher of the Year, Pennsylvania Language Teacher of the Year, the 2025 NECTFL Teacher of the Year award, and most recently, the 2026 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year.

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Reaching New Heights Together: Language Connects Us All

 

Set against the theme “From the Plains to the Rockies… Reaching New Heights of Proficiency,” this keynote invites world language educators to reflect on the unifying, transformative power of language and our collective responsibility as stewards of access, connection, and advocacy. At its core, this speech affirms a simple but urgent truth: language connects us all, and our classrooms are where that connection begins.

 

The keynote is organized around three guiding principles. First, Language is for everyone. This segment challenges educators to examine questions of equity and access by centering inclusive instructional practices that honor heritage speakers, support neurodivergent learners, and remove barriers for students with hearing or visual limitations. Participants will be encouraged to view accessibility not as an accommodation, but as a catalyst for stronger proficiency outcomes for all learners.

 

Second, Language brings us together. Here, the focus shifts from the classroom to the broader community. Attendees will explore how welcoming classroom cultures, authentic relationships, and meaningful engagement beyond school walls deepen learners’ sense of belonging and purpose. Language learning becomes a shared human experience, one that connects students to each other, to their communities, and to the world.

 

Finally, Language is power. This segment reframes multilingualism as a form of agency and influence, equipping students with voice, opportunity, and global competence. It also calls educators to advocate boldly for their programs, their students, and the essential role of world languages in education.

 

The keynote concludes with a motivational call to action, inviting teachers to see themselves as climbers and guides—lifting students upward, expanding access, and reaching new heights of proficiency together.