Testimonials
Organizations across education, nonprofit, and professional sectors invite Leila Kubesch for keynote speaking, leadership development, and community building experiences that combine clarity, connection, and practical impact.
The testimonials below reflect feedback from conference organizers, leaders, educators, and attendees who have experienced Leila’s talks, workshops, and event experiences. These responses highlight the outcomes her work consistently delivers including meaningful engagement, actionable strategies, and renewed confidence to lead and collaborate.
Leila’s work is known for blending storytelling, research, and real-world application. Whether speaking on leadership, communication, collaboration, or community building, her sessions leave audiences feeling supported, energized, and equipped to act.
Leila, is so amazing! No wonder she is Teacher of the Year!
— Diana Hurlow
Leila’s message was so well received. She was incredibly kind and inspired us all to ask, “what’s another way?” the genuineness of her presentation was truly appreciated.
— Laura Saylor Attendee & Event Planner
Mt St Joseph Pre-service teacher conference
Great ideas and strategies. How awesome it would to be a student in her class! Thank you Leila!
— Beth Bronkar
WOW! I laughed, cried, laughed some more and most of all I left inspired and full of hope. Thank you for speaking to us.
— Emily Walter
What a wonderful presentation!!!
– Charlene Greene
– Marissa Thomas
Best presentation of the day! Thank you Leila
– Julie King – WIDA Conference
Building relational trust is foundational to a parent/teacher authentic partnership and high-impact family engagement. Leila, you are such an example! Just exceptional Leila. Every child deserves to have you as their teacher.
Vito Borello Executive Director/NAFSCE
Very practical tips from someone who not just knows what, but also knows why.
Thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom with us. Wish I had a training like this years ago.
— Sonia Jones
Leila is so inspirational and real!
— Ellen Smith
These are all very clever ideas!
— Emily Kavanagh
Leila you are very inspiring!
— Brandy Bixler
Inspiring. Reminded me why I chose this profession and inspired me to connect with our professionals passionate about ELLs and learning about other cultures in our community.
— MS Tebbins – WITESOL
Provided a variety of ways to engage students in learning, being active community members, and participating in a variety of cultural experiences.
— JanirisRodriguez – NYTESOL
It was such a pleasure learning how Leila’s sorry when learning English and her struggles. However, she talked about how she kept going rather than giving up and taught other students the same.
— Andrea Saavedra – Northern Kentucky University
I loved the simplicity and illustrations of actual classroom situations including struggles and solutions.
— Robert.Samaniuk – NYTESOL
She gives actionable advice to make use of interesting, untapped resources.
— E. burns – NYTESOL
This was an inspiring presentation that has provided me with tools for advocating for programs and events that will support student learning and growth!
— Tracie Fishman – WITESOL
Media Appearances
PRESS & MENTIONS
Two years later, determined not to be outwitted by a digital platform, I returned. This time, I set two ambitious goals for myself: Speak in all 50 states and finish one entire Pathways path. Fourteen months later, I completed both.
Apr 30, 2026
One day, my principal informed me that there was no budget allocated for my ESL and foreign language departments, meaning there would be no textbooks or supplies at a time when my students couldn’t even afford pencils. A colleague chimed in, “Leila, when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.” I thought, “Losing my budget for the rest of my career isn’t just lemons; I think I own a citrus tree farm!”
Aug 25, 2025
It was a crisp, cold morning, early spring in Indiana, yet I felt no need for a coat. I always wonder why, even though I’m North African, I’ve never liked heat or humidity. The weather was unsure of itself caught between a lingering chill and the promise of thaw, and I was enjoying the walk, even though, as usual, I was lugging bags of school supplies from home, trying to carry everything I needed in one trip.
Jul 15, 2025
The family of one of my students unfolded their tale of paying rent and deposit, only to find themselves in, an apartment with boarded windows. I started reaching out to other families, unveiling a web of injustice and untold stories. The realization struck me—I had no voice or visibility. In my attempt to advocate, the question echoed: “So, you’re just a teacher then?”
Dec 11, 2023
There’s an age-old adage: “It takes a village to raise a child.” As a middle school teacher, I have always believed in this philosophy but often felt limited to the four walls of the classroom. Making home visits was never on my radar until a fateful day when my multilingual skills became indispensable for a colleague in need of interpretation.
Sep 19, 2023
The National Teachers Hall of Fame has announced its second inductee into the 2022 Hall of Fame Class, featured in extensive media coverage.
Wednesday, Leila Kubesch learned through a surprise virtual announcement that she would be one of the five educators enshrined in the Hall of Fame this June. Kubesch is a career educator at Norwood Middle School and High School in Norwood, OH.
Citing her passion to lift up her students and nurture a love of learning, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria surprised students and staff at Norwood Middle School by announcing Leila Kubesch’s selection as Ohio’s 2020 Teacher of the Year.
We don’t need statistics to know that a curriculum lacking in arts is boring, but too often when budgets are cut, the fun parts of being in school for children are the first to be eliminated. The notion that schools with limited budgets implies having limited resources or opportunities for students never crosses my mind.
On October 22, 2021, Mount St. Joseph University (MSJ) hosted its fifth annual Summit on Teaching Professions from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the University Theatre. Over 150 high school students from all over the region who aspire to enter a career in education were on campus for the summit.
Once a child raised in poverty in North Africa, Leila Kubesch arrived in America seeking solutions for families in need. She has fulfilled this mission and more, demonstrating an extraordinary capacity to impact the lives of families through her work.
A partnership between Northern Kentucky’s second-largest school district and Cincinnati State helps local high school students soar—and prepares them for careers in aviation maintenance technology.
Wearing a white apron with the words “Chow & Tell” stitched across the front, eighth-grader Nadya Meriweather reads aloud the stuffed shells recipe on the back of a Barilla jumbo pasta shells box.
Even after she had the Teacher of the Year award in hand, Leila Kubesch still didn’t know who nominated her for the distinction.
Honoring Leila Kubesch on being named the 2020 Ohio
Teacher of the Year.
Leila Kubesch is a teacher at Norwood City Schools in Cincinnati and was named the 2020 Toyota Family Teacher of the Year by Toyota and the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL).
Leila Kubesh, the teacher who inspired her 8th grade students to create the 120,000 Tassel Tapestry, will be coming to JAMsj on June 23, 2012 to talk about her project.
I always enjoy sharing stories about exemplary educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Leila Kubesch, a teacher from Norwood, Ohio, who has been inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame (NTHF). She is one of five educators who has been inducted for the year 2022.
CINCINNATI (FOX19) – Norwood’s Leila Kubesch is the 2020 Ohio Teacher of the Year.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria delivered the award at a surprise all-school assembly including state and local government officials.
A local teacher has been selected as the 2020 Ohio Teacher of the Year.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria surprised students and staff at Norwood Middle School this week by announcing that Leila Kubesch was selected as Ohio’s 2020 teacher of the year.
NORWOOD, Ohio — Even after she had the Teacher of the Year award in hand, Leila Kubesch still didn’t know who nominated her for the distinction.
As Leila Kubesch, a teacher at Norwood Middle School in Ohio, and the National Toyota Family Teacher of the Year, visited the porches of students and families during the pandemic, she was surprised to hear a common request: the need for students to take cooking classes.
n July 2015, a soft-spoken Ohio child advocate walked onto the TEDx stage, put aside her fear and spoke on behalf of homeless youth. Although she had never done any kind of formal public speaking at the time, Leila Kubesch exhorted her Cincinnati, Ohio, audience to encourage children to dream big, just as her grandmother had encouraged her to do. The speech, “How to Dream Big and Pass it On,” was voted Audience Choice.
Message from the President
Are you considering coming to the OFLA Conference in Cincinnati on April 2-4? We are planning three days of excellent workshops and sessions for Ohio’s teachers and hope to welcome as many of you as possible. I would like to take an opportunity to introduce our invited guests.
