Benvenuti!
Updated January 21, 2012 ShareCANCELED - WisItalia's General Meeting - January 21st
NOTE: THE WISITALIA MEETING THAT WAS TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 21, 2012, HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO THE SEVERE WINTER WEATHER.
The next meeting will be on March 17, 2012, at Trinity Academy in Pewaukee.
See What's on the WisItalia Facebook Page
SPECIAL FUNDRAISING FOR ITALIAN LANGUAGE PROGRAMS!!!
Have a Nook, Kindle, smart phone, iPad, laptop or desktop computer? Consider purchasing a digital copy of the eCookbook, 101 Sicilian Recipes, by Sebastiano Accaputo. Recipes from Sicily are actually some of the world's most singled out cuisines and this comes with a perfectly good reason. Due to the cultural heritage that is a mixture of several cultures, Sicilian cookery is something that has been formed from a lot of sources, offering an assortment of recipes.
NEW LOWER PRICE! Purchase the pdf digital version of this eCookbook for $14.97. For every digital eCookbook sold using the blue banner link below, 59% of the sales will go to WisItalia to support the Italian language programs in Wisconsin!
To purchase a digital copy of this eCookbook, click on the blue "101 Sicilian Recipes" banner button (this link has the special tracking code in it that links it to the WisItalia account behind the scenes).
Once you are on that page, scroll down and look for a yellow "Buy Now" button. Click on it and it will take you to a PayPal page. If you have a PayPal account, enter your info in it. If you don't have a PayPal account, click on the link that says, "Don't have a PayPal Account? Pay with you debit or credit card as a PayPal guest."
Once you pay, 59% of the sale of each eCookbook will be transferred to the WisItalia online account.
For more information about the author and the cookbook, visit the Italian Book Corner page.
Get the Word Out!
Student Scholarships Available
Scholarship funds are available from a variety of sources for students. Some of the deadlines are fast approaching.
Students, you should also check with the college or university where you will be or are attending, as they may offer scholarships for your area of study.
View the WisItalia Scholarship page for a listing of some scholarships targeted to students of Italian descent, students interested in the Italian language and culture, and/or students intending to further their education by majoring in Italian studies.
Sign Up for Non-Credit Italian Language Classes
for Winter/Spring 2012
Sign up for an Italian language class. Winter/Spring 2012 registration is already available for many of the non-credit Italian language programs. There are a variety of Italian class options. There's even online courses available through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education, and Ed2Go, who contracts with a number of accredidated colleges and universities.
View the List of the Winter/Spring 2012 Italian Language Non-Credit Classes >>
Dr. Roberto Pennazzato Visits Victory School
by Ms. Wanda I. Varela-Katz, Principal
On Thursday, December 15, 2011, Dr. Roberto Pennazzato, Dirigente Scolastico/Director of the Education Office of the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago spent the day at Victory School. He visited the Immersion and Foreign Language classrooms, talked to students, parents and staff as he familiarized himself with the school-wide Partial Italian Immersion program at Victory.
Milwaukee Public School officials joined him for the school tour. Dr. Pennazzato then had lunch at Caterina's, one of the local Italian restaurants in Milwaukee. Victory School teachers met with him to discuss the opportunities our students are provided with and how to strengthen the level of support the Italian Consulate can provide Victory School students and the school district in general.
We welcome Dr. Pennazzato to our school and thank him for his dedication and commitment to the study of foreign languages.
Ms. Wanda I. Varela-Katz, Principal
Victory School for the Gifted and Talented and Partial Italian Immersion Program
Funds from the Italian Government Support Italian Education in Wisconsin
The Italian Government, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate General for Italians Abroad and Migration Policies-Office II, in conjunction with the Consulate General of Italy of Chicago, has given WisItalia their annual grant of $9,258 for scholastic support for the Italian language programs in Wisconsin.
These grant funds go directly to certain Wisconsin schools/programs that teach the Italian language, to support their language programs. These funds are used to purchase teaching materials, to augment teacher or teaching assistant pay, or for any legitimate and academically sound activity that furthers the study of Italian language and culture.
In addition, these funds help offset the cost of educational expenses, such as coursework for teachers to obtain their license to teach Italian in the Wisconsin public school system, as well as conference and workshop fees for the teachers' continuing education.
WisItalia greatly appreciates this support from the Italian government, and the support from Roberto Pennazzato,
Dirigente/Director,
Education Office, Consulate General of Italy of Chicago.
Consider Making a Tax-Deductible Donation to WisItalia
If you think teaching Italian to Wisconsin students is a worthwhile endeavor, then consider making a tax-deductible donation to WisItalia. We depend on funds from the Italian government and private donations to support the Italian language programs and teachers in Wisconsin. Your support is needed during these tough economic times, as many school budgets have been cut and providing Italian teaching materials can be expensive.
There are two easy ways to make your donation:
1. Use the "Donate" button to show your support.
It's an easy and secure way to make your donations, and you DO NOT need a PayPal account yourself, as the system takes credit or debit cards.
2. Or, you can send a check or money order.Grazie mille!
View the Support Italian Language Programs in Wisconsin! page for more information.
Italian Notebook
Learn a little bit about the history or contemporary events/issues in Italy (exit WisItalia).
WisItalia Website to be Converted to WordPress
Still in need a of new webmaster for the WisItalia website. Here are some of the details:
- This is an unpaid volunteer position.
- The website is currently being converted from Dreamweaver to WordPress, an easy content management system. Some web experience is preferred to administer and manage the WordPress site.
- You do not need to be Italian, but you do need to like Italian-related activities.
- You need to live in Wisconsin.
- You should try to attend 3-4 WisItalia meetings per year.
Save the Date - WisItalia Awards Banquet to be May 12, 2012
On Saturday, May 12, 2012, WisItalia will hold its 9th annual awards banquet, where they will honor an Italian Teacher of the Year, an Outstanding Service Award recipient and the WisItalia President's Award recipient. The event will be held at O'Donoghue's Irish Pub, 13225 Watertown Plank Rd, Elm Grove, WI 53122
Read the article and view the photos from last year's award program >>
Dante Award for Excellence
Students of AP Italian who are members of the Italian Language Foundation and enrolled in an American or Canadian high school will be eligible to receive the Dante Award for Excellence, which will be awarded to students who score a four or a five in the May 2012 AP Italian exam. The amounts of the award are $200.00 for students who score a five and $100.00 for those who score a four. To become a member, see the Italian Language Foundation website (exit WisItalia).QR Code for WisItalia
- By Rita Prigioni
Ever wonder what those funny looking square boxes are that you may be seeing in advertisements or websites? These boxes are known as "Quick Response" codes. These codes turn URLs, vCards, or any kind of text into modules arranged in a square pattern that you can scan onto your smartphone or cell phone instantaneously, with no typing required. Lately, QR codes have appeared on flyers, postcards, business cards, t-shirts, stickers, etc. It's a great way to link your brochures or flyers back to your websites.
So how do you read or activate these codes? First, you will need to download a QR Reader app to your smartphone or cell phone. Most of these apps are free. Search the web for "QR Reader" and the model of your phone to find a scanner app; they're available for the iPhone, Windows Mobile, Nokia, BlackBerry, and other app-based phones with a built-in camera. Then when you take a picture of a QR code, that opens up the code and you will be taken to a particular website, see text or video, contact information, or whatever what intended to be seen when the QR code was created.
I thought it would be fun to create a QR code for the WisItalia website, so I created the unique code you see on this page. When you scan it into your phone, it will take you to the WisItalia home page. This code could come in handy on our Facebook page, as well as on our brochures. Also, if any of the Wisconson Italian-American Clubs have promotional materials about WisItalia at their upcoming Italian festivals, you could print out the code and have it at your display table so that it will link people to the WisItalia website. If you would like a large-sized code, contact me at wisitalia.info@gmail.com and I will email you the larger-sized QR code. So, what are you waiting for, give it a try!
Learn more about QR Codes (exit WisItalia).
WisItalia Brochure
The WisItalia brochure, revised in December 2011, now has the QR code. The content was written by Rita Prigioni, and the layout and graphic design was provided by Nathan Godding. View the WisItalia Brochure (pdf) to learn about the services and activities supported or provided by WisItalia. Use it at Italian-American Club, Festival or School events. The brochure contains a summary of the information contained on the WisItalia website and is summarized on an About WisItalia page. The link for About WisItalia is located on the left-hand side bar, as well as on the Mission page.
View About WisItalia >>
Sign Up for WisItalia Web Updates >>
Searching for Family Immigration Stories
Great Chicago Italian Recipes.com is currently searching for family immigration stories or just Italian family stories that can be included in their "Italian American Heritage Preservation" section of their website. The section has been up since June of 2007 and they are looking for more stories. If you or members of your organization would like to contribute, all that needs to be done is to submit stories to be published on that site. It’s easy to do and it’s completely free. View the online Italian American Heritage Preservation form for details (exit WisItalia). This link has been added to the WisItalia Links page for future reference, under Miscellaneous Links.
PDF Files
Some documents on this site have been converted into a .pdf format. You will need the free Acrobat Reader® (exit WisItalia) software to view and print portable document format (PDF) files.
