Challenge
The Virtual Educator Program at English Language Programs (ELP) launched in 2022 as the newest addition to a long-standing portfolio that included the 50-year Fellow Program and the 30-year Specialist Program. As one of the first educators contracted for the pilot, I quickly realized a unique challenge: unlike the Fellow Program—which excelled at capturing rich, on-the-ground cultural experiences through dynamic photography—the Virtual Educator Program operated almost entirely on Zoom. This meant outreach and communications teams often had little more than screenshots of Zoom windows to represent our international engagement, making it difficult to visually showcase the impact of virtual projects. At the time, I was serving solely as a Virtual Educator, not yet a Marketing and Outreach Coordinator.
Action
During the first semester, preservice teachers were learning to design lesson plans on English phonics and were required to record demo lessons using FlipGrid (a platform that has since been discontinued). Recognizing the potential of this video content, I developed the idea to create a video collage that highlighted the participants’ work. I produced and edited a curated compilation—using Clipchamp and YouTube—that showcased the preservice teachers delivering their demo lessons, and I published it as a project highlight on ELP’s private, members-only Community of Practice (COP) website.
Impact
My Regional English Language Officer (RELO) at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico was so impressed by this innovative approach that he shared the video on the RELO program’s official Facebook page. He noted that there had never been a Virtual Educator highlight that visually matched the impact of a Fellow Program showcase—until this one. Instead of Zoom boxes, the video featured participants front and center, actively applying what they had learned. I later used similar approaches in subsequent semesters, including a multimedia collage on educator wellbeing. This work became the foundation of my contributions to ELP’s visibility and ultimately played a role in my transition into the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator position.
Challenge
The Virtual Educator Program at English Language Programs (ELP) launched in 2022 as the newest addition to a long-standing portfolio that included the 50-year Fellow Program and the 30-year Specialist Program. As one of the first educators contracted for the pilot, I quickly realized a unique challenge: unlike the Fellow Program—which excelled at capturing rich, on-the-ground cultural experiences through dynamic photography—the Virtual Educator Program operated almost entirely on Zoom. This meant outreach and communications teams often had little more than screenshots of Zoom windows to represent our international engagement, making it difficult to visually showcase the impact of virtual projects. At the time, I was serving solely as a Virtual Educator, not yet a Marketing and Outreach Coordinator.
Action
During the first semester, preservice teachers were learning to design lesson plans on English phonics and were required to record demo lessons using FlipGrid (a platform that has since been discontinued). Recognizing the potential of this video content, I developed the idea to create a video collage that highlighted the participants’ work. I produced and edited a curated compilation—using Clipchamp and YouTube—that showcased the preservice teachers delivering their demo lessons, and I published it as a project highlight on ELP’s private, members-only Community of Practice (COP) website.
Impact
My Regional English Language Officer (RELO) at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico was so impressed by this innovative approach that he shared the video on the RELO program’s official Facebook page. He noted that there had never been a Virtual Educator highlight that visually matched the impact of a Fellow Program showcase—until this one. Instead of Zoom boxes, the video featured participants front and center, actively applying what they had learned. I later used similar approaches in subsequent semesters, including a multimedia collage on educator wellbeing. This work became the foundation of my contributions to ELP’s visibility and ultimately played a role in my transition into the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator position.
Supporting Materials
The video samples below illustrate two multimedia highlight collages I produced during my time as a Virtual Educator with ELP. Each piece showcases how video editing can transform virtual teaching environments into compelling, story-driven visual narratives that center participants’ voices and work.
- Highlights – Virtual Educator Project Mexico (January 2023)
This video collage features preservice teachers delivering demo lessons they created on English phonics and basic vocabulary for preschool and secondary school learners. The lessons were developed from our curriculum modules and recorded using FlipGrid. TThe collage closes with selected Zoom recordings that highlight student-centered instruction in action, ensuring that learners remain front and center even within the limits of a virtual Zoom environment. - Highlight (Feb.–Jun. 2024) – Virtual Educator Glee Lugo, Ixtlahuaca, Mexico
This second video showcases preservice teachers reflecting on key dimensions of educator wellbeing. Their recorded insights explore how future teachers understand self-care, balance, and the connection between personal wellbeing and effective classroom practice. The highlight emphasizes the belief that educators serve others best when their own cup is full.
Together, these materials demonstrate my ability to curate, edit, and produce multimedia content that elevates participant voices, strengthens program storytelling, and transforms virtual project work into engaging digital media for outreach and visibility purposes.
Note: All materials presented in this section are the property of the Office of English Language Programs of the U.S. Department of State and are displayed here solely for the purpose of demonstrating my professional skills and experience.
Supporting Materials
The video samples below illustrate two multimedia highlight collages I produced during my time as a Virtual Educator with ELP. Each piece showcases how video editing can transform virtual teaching environments into compelling, story-driven visual narratives that center participants’ voices and work.
- Highlights – Virtual Educator Project Mexico (January 2023)
This video collage features preservice teachers delivering demo lessons they created on English phonics and basic vocabulary for preschool and secondary school learners. The lessons were developed from our curriculum modules and recorded using FlipGrid. TThe collage closes with selected Zoom recordings that highlight student-centered instruction in action, ensuring that learners remain front and center even within the limits of a virtual Zoom environment. - Highlight (Feb.–Jun. 2024) – Virtual Educator Glee Lugo, Ixtlahuaca, Mexico
This second video showcases preservice teachers reflecting on key dimensions of educator wellbeing. Their recorded insights explore how future teachers understand self-care, balance, and the connection between personal wellbeing and effective classroom practice. The highlight emphasizes the belief that educators serve others best when their own cup is full.
Together, these materials demonstrate my ability to curate, edit, and produce multimedia content that elevates participant voices, strengthens program storytelling, and transforms virtual project work into engaging digital media for outreach and visibility purposes.
Note: All materials presented in this section are the property of the Office of English Language Programs of the U.S. Department of State and are displayed here solely for the purpose of demonstrating my professional skills and experience.