The mission of the American Association of Teachers of Italian, Long Island Chapter, is to promote the study, teaching and appreciation of Italian culture and language in academic and community settings. AATI-LI provides its members with a communicative network among colleagues and with various opportunities for professional growth, such as informational meetings, lectures, conferences, workshops and culturally enriching events. In addition, the organization awards scholarships to high school seniors who have excelled in Italian, and bestows the Dante Award on an individual in the community who has promoted Italian in a noteworthy way.