Sri Lankan montessori teacher wins US award

Renowned Montessori teacher Mrs. Chandra Fernando has won the Living Legacy 2012 award of the American Montessori Society (AMS). This is the first time that an Asian has won this award.

Mrs. Fernando said that Montessori teachers are probably the "best exports" from Sri Lanka to the United States. She said that Sri Lankan teachers were among the pioneers in American Montessori education who had held the torch until the US teachers were trained for this task.

She was addressing a dinner reception on June 10 hosted by Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Sri Lanka's envoy to USA and Mexico to felicitate her achievement.

While congratulating Mrs. Fernando on this significant achievement of being the first Asian to receive this prestigious award in the US, Ambassador Wickramasuriya said that, "Not only does this award bring much honour to you, but it also brings great pride to Sri Lanka.

She has proved that the Montessori teachers from Sri Lanka are very special," he said.

Ambassador Wickramasuriya said that receiving this prestigious award from the American Montessori Society would reflect positively on Sri Lanka and the Montessori Movement in Sri Lanka as well.

"On behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on this much deserved honour", he said.

Executive Director of the AMS, Richard A. Ungerer said that the Living Legacy Award is a special tribute to an individual whose dedication and leadership has made a lasting impact on the American Montessori community.

"Humbly and selflessly, Chandra Fernando embodies the peaceful spirit of Montessori in every aspect of her life. She is loved and deeply admired around the globe, not least by her many friends and colleagues at the American Montessori Society", he said.

Senior Members of the American Montessori Society, US Government officials, leaders of the Montessori industry and members of Sri Lankan societies were present.