In 6 languages: Spanish, Italian, French, Chinese, German and Latin; 39 for their 2nd year
Some 249 students studying one of 6 World Languages at Watchung Hills Regional High School were inducted into those languages’ academic honor societies at a ceremony on Thursday, April 14th, at the school.
According to World Languages Supervisor Brad Commerford, the number of students honored this year for superior academic excellence of the six languages are: 123 in Spanish, 41 in Italian, 35 in French, 18 in Chinese, 17 in German, and 15 in Latin. The number of students repeating in those languages are; 39 in Spanish, 19 in Italian, 12 in French, 7 in German, 6 in Chinese, and 5 in Latin.
One student, junior Sonali Howe of Green Brook Township, qualified for induction into two language honor societies, in Spanish and Latin.
The induction ceremony was attended by the students, their family members, and guests. Commedford said “To them, Linguistic competence in another language is a life-long skill that will open new dimensions to your personal and professional lives. We are proud of you and thank you for allowing us to take part in recognizing your accomplishment and sharing in your success.”
He continued, “Through our students’ hard work and dedication, they have reached an exciting stage in their language-learning career as an inductee into a World Language Honor Society. This experience can take them beyond the high level linguistic and cultural competency they have already achieved to help them succeed in communicating with people in and from other countries and cultures.”
Guest speaker for the ceremony was Amanda Seewald, board member of the Northeast Conference of the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NCTFL) and the Foreign Language Educators of New Jersey (FLENJ).
“Seewald is a speaker of Spanish, French, and Japanese, is the author and director of Maracas Spanish Program for Young Learners” Commerford said. Maracas began as grant-funded pilot program developed, written, and taught by Seewald.
In congratulating the students for their academic achievement in World Languages, Seewald encouraged them to continue their language learning.
“I can tell you that living multi-lingually completely changes the trajectory of your life and you are all on your way,” she said.
Seewald said “in the world today, language is an important element in making real change and mutual cultural understanding possible.”
“Language is inextricably tied to culture,” she said. “We need to be the connectors, the ones who understand who people are and how they live.
We need to bring ourselves to know the rest of the world. That is, after all, what America has always been about, really what being a humanitarian has always been about, representing freedom, growth, welcoming, protecting, standing up in the world, and engaging Humanity.”
WHRHS teachers from each language read the names of the inducted students, who all stood to be acknowledged and receive the applause of the audience. One student from each language read aloud the induction oath for each society in that society’s language. The students gave their acceptance, “I accept,” in each of the six languages.
Reading the oaths were: For Chinese, Nathan James Schwartz; for French, senior Jenna Charko of Warren; for German, senior Lukas Ihringer of Gillette; for Italian, senior Olena Alexandra Hadlet of Millington; for Latin, junior Arielle Ostry of Green Brook Township; and for Spanish, senior Anjali Patel of Warren Township.
(above) Standing on either side of guest speaker Amanda Seewald, fourth left, president of the Foreign Language Educators of New Jersey, and Brad Commerford, supervisor of World Languages at WHRHS, are students (l-r) Senior Anjali J. Patel of Warren Township; senior Olena Alexandra Hadlet of Millington; junior Arielle Ostry of Green Brook Township; junior Sonali Howe of Green Brook Township; senior Jenna Charko of Warren; and senior Lukas Ihringer of Gillette. Sonali Howe, was inducted into two language honor societies, Latin and Spanish.
