Foreign Language Honor Societies Open Ranks
The foreign language honor societies at Huntington High School recently inducted more than two dozen new members in a time-honored ceremony. The evening featured a candle-lighting segment and included high praise for the teenagers receiving this special recognition.
In all, 27 high achieving students were welcomed into the ranks of the French, Italian and Spanish honor societies. Faculty advisors Deidre Meyer, Silvia Gilbert and Mercy Peña were on hand, along with various administrators and teachers as Carmen Kasper, district director of foreign language, presented the new members with congratulations and certificates.
The ceremony was led by current members of the three honor societies and included student recitation of original poems in various languages, a brief history of the induction ceremony itself and an explanation of the significance of the lighting of candles by new members.
Before each inductee received a commemorative certificate, s/he recited the honor society pledge in their respective language. The pledge, which is the same in every language, indicates a commitment to reach out to others in a quest to learn their culture and form connections in order to build a strong bond.
“Congratulations to this great group of students,” Mrs. Kasper said. “Learning a second language is a difficult and rewarding task because the students do not only learn to communicate in the language, but they learn about the culture of the people who speak the language they have chosen. It is my hope that these students pursue the study of foreign language after they graduate from high school.”
The new members of the French honor society include Itzel Cedillo-Rosas, Danielle Cerezo, Gabriella Ferreira Putin, Emily C. Friedman, Diana A. Frank, Benjamin Jensen and Jasmin Valcourt.
The Italian honor society inducted Cristina Badalamenti, Aliyah Cohen, Alyson Coleman, Robert Hughes, Alexandra Kiley, Gabriella Mitchell, Patrick O’Brien, Mia Rienzo and Dylan Tuozzo.
The Spanish honor society opened its ranks to Michelle Byrne, Andres Carrion, Luis Fernando Cordero Salazar, Carolyn Fante, Chelsea Hines, Michael O’Connor, Casey Singer, David Stillman, Michael Valente, Fatima Villatoro and Olivia Weller.
Following the ceremony, participants mingled during a reception that capped off a night celebrating academic achievement.
For more information about the district’s foreign language program or individual course offerings, contact Mrs. Kasper at 673-2104 or ckasper@hufsd.edu.
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