Where are they now?
This part of our website highlights WMHS graduates who continue to use their language skills after graduation.
Embedded Files
My name is Brooke Perry, and I am now a graduate of the University of Vermont where I studied Psychology and Communication Sciences and Disorders. When I was a sophomore, I had an amazing opportunity to study abroad in France. I took French in high school, so it was a great experience to be able to apply what I had learned to real life! The trip was based around the French resistance during World War 2; we visited certain sites where battles took place. Some sites included La Nécropole, Vassieux- en- Vercor, and an actual schoolhouse from a book we read that semester. I even got the opportunity to hike part of the French alps and travel to other parts of France, such a Chambéry and Grenoble. It was an amazing opportunity to immerse myself in a completely different culture, and to challenge myself by speaking a language that is not my own. Study abroad is an amazing experience! Seize this opportunity to leave your comfort zone, there’s a much bigger world out there!
Studying abroad was one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my life so far. I chose to spend my time in Florence, Italy this past fall, and it was truly eye opening. For me, the experience was so beneficial because I was surrounded by non-English speakers, and it forced me to communicate with people i never thought I would be able to understand. I was also forced to adapt to a culture very different from my own.
My interest in studying in Italy stemmed from both my Italian heritage and the four years of Italian I took in high school. In Ms. Gilbertie's class, I got a feel for the language and culture which initially sparked my interest. My time in Italy wasn't just about eating amazing food and taking great Instagram pictures; it was more about growing as a person and realizing that no matter where you are in the world and no matter what language you speak, at the end of the day we are all the same. If anyone ever has the opportunity to live in a foreign country, I would take advantage of it. Although it might seem scary, if there's one thing I've learned from going to a business school it's high risk, high reward, and this experience exceeded all of my expectations.
-Michelle Miller '16
One of the most formative experiences of my life so far has been my semester Ispent studying abroad in Santiago, Chile this past fall. My number one piece of college advice to everyone is to study abroad if possible. My second piece of advice is to do so in a country that doesn't speak your native tongue. It challenges you in the best way possible and you learn more about both yourself and the world around you when you are pushed out of your comfort zone. The idea of living somewhere with practically no other English-speakers can be intimidating, I'll be the first to admit, but it is so rewarding to realize that you are able to communicate with the people around you. I wouldn't have had that ability, that opportunity, if I hadn't learned Spanish at WMHS. Based on subjects I learned about in Spanish classes over the years, especially in AP Spanish, I was inspired to take on a major in Latin American and hemispheric studies, learning about how the different countries and cultures of the Americas interact on an international scale.
Knowing a second language breaks down barriers in every aspect of life. When I traveled to Peru this past December, people there were always shocked and excited when I spoke and I knew their language. Instantly people opened up to me, asking about where I learned to speak Spanish, how long I had been studying, and what I thought of the crazy Chilean dialect of Spanish. Cab drivers, waitresses, people on the Metro, business owners, professors--everyone you can think of that you could speak to day-to-day were relieved and amused by the fact that I could understand them and they could understand me. I have formed relationships with people that I never would have met if I hadn't learned a second-language.
In addition to contributing to my adventures abroad, my language-learning experience has helped me considerably in my field of study as well. For example, my advanced proficiency in a second language helped me secure an internship at the Department of State. Specifically, I am working for the U.S. mission to the Organization of American States (OAS). The OAS has four official languages: English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. Because of my opportunities to study different languages both in high school and in college, I know two of the official languages and have a basic understanding of Portuguese from studying it in my free time. Time and time again, language skills have proven to grant me a number of opportunities in life, for which I am forever grateful.
-Kris Brodeur, '16
Page updated
Report abuse