The original item was published from July 1, 2020 1:57 PM to July 17, 2020 10:01 AM
"Anne Cottez is a mother, teacher, friend, and role model in the Naperville community. A French immigrant and single mother of three daughters, Anne has flourished in her past two decades in Naperville, where she has overcome struggles and hardship, and in doing so has become a source of inspiration and enormous help to countless community members.
For the past 15 years, she has worked 50 hours per week. What started out as hard work to support her daughters turned into hard work to countless community members learn, grow, and enrich their lives. After teaching at a local language school, Anne dreamed of opening her own school to teach students French following her own methods that she was sure would get students learning quicker, more effectively, and more enjoyably. Today, she has realized this dream with 50 students and hundreds of successful graduates with Naperfrench, offering private French classes.
On a daily basis, Anne helps students to excel in their classes, adults to find a new passion in life, children to develop important cognitive skills, professionals to advance their career, and more. With Naperfrench, Anne creates a customized curriculum for each individual, where she teaches French and builds relationships with her students, who see her as an inspiration and look forward to their weekly classes to exchange in French and feel Anne’s charisma and charm.
Her woman-run business and ability to raise three daughters on her own while building it speak to the amazing things that Naperville women can do."
Nominated by Amelia Haeuser