Languages open doors to different countries, making bridges between cultures, ideas and hearts. At West Boca, languages are more than a subject; they are journeys we take, carried by the voices of our dear teachers who bring each language to life. Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese echoes through the hallways of building 12, guided by passionate teachers who invite students to explore, connect, and grow. Today, we will celebrate and get to know some of these mentors and while we couldn’t interview them all, we are extremely thankful for their hard work to spread understanding of the beauty of our shared world- our home, full of culture, history, and passion.
Rosanna Rossi was born in the rhythm and colorfulness of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Mrs. Rossi came to the U.S. in 2013! She ended up in this career by fate, where she teaches to show her students the power of clarity in communication: “By writing down an idea or simply expressing themselves clearly, I feel like I’ve done my job.” Says Mrs. Rossi, who empathizes how she feels accomplished when she sees her students grow beside her. She teaches Portuguese for Non-Native Speakers and AICE Portuguese Literature. Her main goal is to allow her students to grow their roots into new cultures and a new language. She says learning a new language is an instrument for dreaming, creating, and transforming your views of the world.
Marianna De Tollis was born surrounded by the beautiful pieces of history of Rome, Italy. Dr. De Tollis came to the U.S. in 2008 to pursue a Master’s Degree and later on a Ph.D. She has also been an Adjunct Professor at FAU for 15 years, while she finished her studies. Here at West Boca Dr. de Tollis teaches Italian 1, Italian 2, Italian 3 honors, Italian 4 honors and AP Italian! This is her sixth year teaching in our school; I had the pleasure of being a student of hers for 3 years, and I can say she teaches with deep passion and immersion about the history and culture of Italy, as well as the language. She feels honored to teach high school students as her career. And to hopefully pass on her love for the Italian language, her love for life, food, animals, nature, and travelling. Dr. De Tollis hopes to be a role model to students and help them be successful in life with her positivity and camaraderie. The Italian Department went to Italy during this past summer of 2025 and plans to repeat it next year. They will soon also welcome 19 exchange students to come with the Sisters School Program, where they will explore our school, Florida places, the American culture, and practice their English.
Elena Sanchez was born in the bustling streets of New York and came with open arms to our campus in 2005. Mrs. Sanchez has been part of our community for 20 years! Here, she teaches Spanish 3, Pre AICE, and all Spanish AICE classes. She has also been a teacher in Puerto Rico, how exciting !! There she taught all levels plus college. Her favorite part of teaching is seeing students grow into themselves. Mrs. Sanchez hopes she can encourage her students through her classes to live fully throughout their lives, to not be scared to create memories. The Spanish department has not made any trips to Spanish-speaking countries yet, though they are working on one day being able to accomplish such a dream with students.
Sakoto Nourishirazi was born among the cherry blossoms and mountains of Japan, Mrs. Nourishirazi attended a U.S. college, from which she went back to Japan, and in 1998, she returned to America. Here at our school, she teaches all Japanese classes; her motives for such a career are to help students experience the joy of learning Japan’s fascinating culture and a new language. She has been in West Boca for the past 8 years! And in the meantime, she has loved to see students suddenly understand a concept in Japanese and see their confidence grow. Mrs. Nourishirazi hopes to inspire a sense of curiosity and appreciation for diverse cultures. By learning Japanese, students can broaden how they view the world and develop respect for people who have different lives and traditions from their own. As for right now, the Japanese department is organizing a trip to Japan during the summer of 2026. It will be an incredible opportunity for students to explore a new place, and a different culture.
The interviewed teachers expressed why learning a new language is meaningful and important to us: “It’s ESSENTIAL to learn a new language! It opens your mind, develops and increases your critical thinking and analytical skills,” said Mrs. Sanchez. “Absolutely!! Learning a second language helps open your mind to new horizons, people, cultures, and ways of living. Learning new languages is important because they are connected to one’s culture. A second language, or more languages learned, will make you a better person.” Dr. De Tollis stated. “Learning a second language makes students gain not only communication skills, but also a broader perspective and appreciation for the diversity of our world, “ claimed Mrs. Nourishirazi.“It’s important to learn a new language, it opens doors to the world; with it we can experience new cultures, have more job opportunities, and make new friendships,” said Mrs. Rossi.
Like our dear mentors explained above, learning a new language is extremely important, it is like planting a seed into our hearts, it starts small — sounds, words, syllables are our seeds. With patience, practice, and love it grows in our hearts like roots — the culture, the people, the places. And like a tree, its branches reach the air of new places we can be taken to, new opportunities, and new interests. Pay attention to your classes, participate, bond with your teacher and peers, and embrace a new culture and its history!
