Calhoun High School
Department of World Languages
Bienvenue! Benvenuti! ¡Bienvenidos! Ni hao!
Bienvenue! Benvenuti! ¡Bienvenidos! Ni hao!
Department Events & Happenings
Department Events & Happenings
Scroll down to read more about department events & student achievements!
Scroll down to read more about department events & student achievements!
2024-2025
2024-2025
Welcome to the World Languages Department of Calhoun High School! We wish you a wonderful 2024-2025 school year!
Welcome to the World Languages Department of Calhoun High School! We wish you a wonderful 2024-2025 school year!
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most important celebrations in Chinese culture as it marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year. The holiday lasts 15 days. In Chinese culture, there are twelve animals that represent the different years, and each year is associated with a specific animal. This year is the Year of the Snake.
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most important celebrations in Chinese culture as it marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year. The holiday lasts 15 days. In Chinese culture, there are twelve animals that represent the different years, and each year is associated with a specific animal. This year is the Year of the Snake.
In class, the students learned about the culture surrounding the snake. Students also participated in a variety of activities to celebrate the holiday. They made crafts and wrote greetings to decorate the hallway, watched a Chinese New Year television program and other videos about new year traditions and customs. Students ate dumplings, learned the stories of Nian and the zodiac, and practiced both character writing and calligraphy using brushes and ink.
In class, the students learned about the culture surrounding the snake. Students also participated in a variety of activities to celebrate the holiday. They made crafts and wrote greetings to decorate the hallway, watched a Chinese New Year television program and other videos about new year traditions and customs. Students ate dumplings, learned the stories of Nian and the zodiac, and practiced both character writing and calligraphy using brushes and ink.
A special thank you to our Mandarin teachers Dr. Chen and Ms. Han for planning these wonderful Lunar New Year traditions for their students.
A special thank you to our Mandarin teachers Dr. Chen and Ms. Han for planning these wonderful Lunar New Year traditions for their students.
See pictures below!
新年好
新年好
Mandarin Students Celebrate Chinese New Year!
Mandarin Students Celebrate Chinese New Year!
Dr. Chen’s Mandarin classes have been celebrating the Chinese New Year. This celebration is also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, and it is the most important festival in China. Each year the New Year is associated with an animal sign according to the zodiac cycle, and this year is the year of the Rabbit.
Dr. Chen’s Mandarin classes have been celebrating the Chinese New Year. This celebration is also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, and it is the most important festival in China. Each year the New Year is associated with an animal sign according to the zodiac cycle, and this year is the year of the Rabbit.
To celebrate, Dr. Chen's students wrote their well-wishes for a good year and shared them with one another in traditional red envelopes. The students tried some Chinese snacks and had the experience of writing Chinese calligraphy using traditional brushes and ink. The classes will also be hosting an after-school event during which students will learn to make their own dumplings.
To celebrate, Dr. Chen's students wrote their well-wishes for a good year and shared them with one another in traditional red envelopes. The students tried some Chinese snacks and had the experience of writing Chinese calligraphy using traditional brushes and ink. The classes will also be hosting an after-school event during which students will learn to make their own dumplings.
Scroll down to see pictures of the students working on their red envelopes and calligraphy!
Scroll down to see pictures of the students working on their red envelopes and calligraphy!
FRENCH STUDENTS RECOGNIZE
FRENCH STUDENTS RECOGNIZE
NATIONAL FRENCH WEEK
NATIONAL FRENCH WEEK
Every year National French Week is a celebration of the French language during November 6-12, 2024?
Every year National French Week is a celebration of the French language during November 6-12, 2024?
This year, Ms. Kefaliakos's French students explored numerous fun facts about French, which interestingly enough is spoken by more than 320 million people around the world. This week Ms. Kefaliakos featured two eleventh graders; Abigail Trinkus and Alexa Addonizio, in presenting us with some fun facts about La Francophonie. Take a look below at the video and photo below. Enjoy!
This year, Ms. Kefaliakos's French students explored numerous fun facts about French, which interestingly enough is spoken by more than 320 million people around the world. This week Ms. Kefaliakos featured two eleventh graders; Abigail Trinkus and Alexa Addonizio, in presenting us with some fun facts about La Francophonie. Take a look below at the video and photo below. Enjoy!
IMG_4376.MOVWORLD LANGUAGES HONOR SOCIETY
WORLD LANGUAGES HONOR SOCIETY
On Tuesday afternoon, the World Languages Department held its annual Honor Society Induction Ceremony. Congratulations to the newest members of our Chinese, French, Italian and Spanish Chapters. It was wonderful to see so many of our students recognized for their achievements in their language classes. The Master of Ceremonies was Hailey Sofia. We had a beautiful rendition of “Sorge il sol? Che fai tu?” performed by Elizabeth Ramos. Kyle Park, Nate Botta, Hannah Levine, and Daniella Knigin also gave beautiful recitations of poems in the language they are each studying. It was a lovely afternoon of honoring our language students.
On Tuesday afternoon, the World Languages Department held its annual Honor Society Induction Ceremony. Congratulations to the newest members of our Chinese, French, Italian and Spanish Chapters. It was wonderful to see so many of our students recognized for their achievements in their language classes. The Master of Ceremonies was Hailey Sofia. We had a beautiful rendition of “Sorge il sol? Che fai tu?” performed by Elizabeth Ramos. Kyle Park, Nate Botta, Hannah Levine, and Daniella Knigin also gave beautiful recitations of poems in the language they are each studying. It was a lovely afternoon of honoring our language students.
Scroll down for photos!
¡Buen Provecho!
¡Buen Provecho!
In Ms. Maldonado's classes, students ended the Buen Provecho unit with a fun cultural food party. Students were invited to share dishes from Spanish-speaking countries or their own cultures. Each student contributed a recipe and ingredients written in Spanish, all of which were compiled into a Spanish-language recipe book for each class. The book was filled with different cultural dishes from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Colombia, Italy, Ireland, Israel, India, Honduras, the Caribbean and many more!
In Ms. Maldonado's classes, students ended the Buen Provecho unit with a fun cultural food party. Students were invited to share dishes from Spanish-speaking countries or their own cultures. Each student contributed a recipe and ingredients written in Spanish, all of which were compiled into a Spanish-language recipe book for each class. The book was filled with different cultural dishes from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Colombia, Italy, Ireland, Israel, India, Honduras, the Caribbean and many more!
The event fostered education about diverse cuisines, lively conversations, and enjoyment of cultural music. Students were excited to try new foods and learn the recipes! It was a fantastic and enriching conclusion to the Buen Provecho unit.
The event fostered education about diverse cuisines, lively conversations, and enjoyment of cultural music. Students were excited to try new foods and learn the recipes! It was a fantastic and enriching conclusion to the Buen Provecho unit.
Thank you to Ms. Maldonado for planning this activity and to all of the students who participated!
Thank you to Ms. Maldonado for planning this activity and to all of the students who participated!
WORLD LANGUAGES WEEK
WORLD LANGUAGES WEEK
POSTER CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED
POSTER CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Congratulations to this year’s winners of the annual World Languages Poster Contest. Participants created original posters based on the theme “The Magic of Language”.
Congratulations to this year’s winners of the annual World Languages Poster Contest. Participants created original posters based on the theme “The Magic of Language”.
Our third place winner is Grace Maraglio, our second place winner is Madeline Maione, and congratulations to our first place winner Joseph Solorzano-Ruiz. Joseph’s poster will now move on to the district-level contest.
Our third place winner is Grace Maraglio, our second place winner is Madeline Maione, and congratulations to our first place winner Joseph Solorzano-Ruiz. Joseph’s poster will now move on to the district-level contest.
Thank you to all of the students who submitted their beautiful artwork!
Thank you to all of the students who submitted their beautiful artwork!
See the winners and their posters below.
See the winners and their posters below.
1st Place
1st Place
2nd Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
3rd Place
World Languages Week
World Languages Week
March 4-8
March 4-8
The World Languages Department is once again holding its annual poster contest in honor of World Languages Week. This year's theme, "The Magic of Language", allowed students to develop their own creative perspective about the power and many benefits of speaking other languages. Posters are on display and voting will take place through Friday, March 8th. Contest winners will be announced on Monday, March 11th. The winners will advance to the district-level contest. Thank you to our World Languages teachers for encouraging students to participate in the contest!
The World Languages Department is once again holding its annual poster contest in honor of World Languages Week. This year's theme, "The Magic of Language", allowed students to develop their own creative perspective about the power and many benefits of speaking other languages. Posters are on display and voting will take place through Friday, March 8th. Contest winners will be announced on Monday, March 11th. The winners will advance to the district-level contest. Thank you to our World Languages teachers for encouraging students to participate in the contest!
Once again this year, student volunteers read morning announcements in their native language or the language they are currently studying. The announcements shared fun facts and cultural information. World Langauge students also researched how to write uplifting words in many languages to create collage-style murals of the expressions. The murals are on display in the World Language hallway.
Once again this year, student volunteers read morning announcements in their native language or the language they are currently studying. The announcements shared fun facts and cultural information. World Langauge students also researched how to write uplifting words in many languages to create collage-style murals of the expressions. The murals are on display in the World Language hallway.
Thank you to Ms. Maldonado and Ms. Dand for reating a slideshow that teachers used each day in class to show a target language music video and trivia questions. Students who answered the trivia questions correctly were entered into a daily raffle for a prize.
Thank you to Ms. Maldonado and Ms. Dand for reating a slideshow that teachers used each day in class to show a target language music video and trivia questions. Students who answered the trivia questions correctly were entered into a daily raffle for a prize.
Thank you to all of our student participants and volunteers and to the World Language teachers for their help in making the week a success!
Thank you to all of our student participants and volunteers and to the World Language teachers for their help in making the week a success!
Scroll down for photos of this year's entries and the mural.
Scroll down for photos of this year's entries and the mural.
P.S. I Love You Day 2024
P.S. I Love You Day 2024
To recognize P.S. I Love You Day, students in French, Italian, Mandarin, and Spanish classes created a mural of heartfelt messages of encouragement and kindness. The messages were written in a variety of languages to brighten the day of as many students, faculty, and staff as possible. See pictures of the mural below!
To recognize P.S. I Love You Day, students in French, Italian, Mandarin, and Spanish classes created a mural of heartfelt messages of encouragement and kindness. The messages were written in a variety of languages to brighten the day of as many students, faculty, and staff as possible. See pictures of the mural below!
Mandarin 2H & 3H Students' Cultural Experience
Mandarin 2H & 3H Students' Cultural Experience
9th and 10th grade students in Ms. Han's class had a unique experience this week in class. During the food unit, they had the opportunity to practice speaking in Chinese in simulated restaurant scenarios. Ms. Han also added a cultural component to the lessons by sharing information about popular Chinese foods. As a special activity, students acted out ordering a milk tea from "server" Ms. Han and actually received one to try!
9th and 10th grade students in Ms. Han's class had a unique experience this week in class. During the food unit, they had the opportunity to practice speaking in Chinese in simulated restaurant scenarios. Ms. Han also added a cultural component to the lessons by sharing information about popular Chinese foods. As a special activity, students acted out ordering a milk tea from "server" Ms. Han and actually received one to try!
