CSUS celebrated the observance of National Foreign Language Week from
March 3rd -7th. There were many daily activities during advisory and
the lunch periods. The Celebration of Language, Culture, and Music on
March 5 was well attended by approximately 150 parents, students, and
staff. The evening included music and dance from France and Portugal and
video reflections by scholars on language and culture. Participants
were asked to choose three winning posters that reflected this year’s
national theme: “Don’t Let Learning a Language Slip Through Your
Fingers”. The winners are Yasmin Abdella , Julian Knight, and Mikel
Reyes. Each of the winners will receive a $50 gift certificate and their
poster will be displayed at Schoenoff Books.
The highlight of the evening was the a panel of fifteen 8th graders
discussing their experiences as immigrants in Cambridge in front of an
audience of about 150 teachers, parents, and students. They spoke about
their transition into a new culture and society, the differences in
educational systems and the awkwardness of speaking their native
language in public. It was a powerful presentation from the voices of
our youth. The panelists were Gustavo De Freitas ,Mariah Goldsmith, Na
Jae Josephs, Razin Khan, Ming Lian, Marcia Lopes, Summia Mahmud, Mohamed
Mohamed, Nikhila Ravikumar, Kamrul Ruhit, Joshua Senat, Smarika Suwal,
and Bilien Woldeyonas.
The
evening ended with CSUS community members enjoying a potluck dinner in a
cafe-style setting with performances from our highly acclaimed CSUS
Jazz Band and Chorus. The week was organized by Spanish teacher, Ms.
Hanlon, French teacher Ms. Kratzig, and Head of School, Mr. Fernandez
with support from Ms. Lima, Mr. Whipple , Ms. Sohn. Ms Robinson, Mr.
Searcy, and the Student Council.