World Language Activities Mark Spring Semester at Garden City Schools

Foreign Language in Elementary School (FLES) students James Murphy and Kristen Kallem from Melissa Coyne's class, and Isabella Constabile and Jamie Sullivan from Michael Prisco's class at Stratford School with their posters.

World Language students at Garden City High School took to heart the theme of this year's Long Island Language Teach-ers poster contest, How Language Links Us Together. Not only did many students enter the contest, but those in Lea Brunetti's class wrote and illustrated their own original children's stories in Italian and then bound them especially for first graders at Hemlock School. The first graders then visited the High School Library for a special treat: small group readings by the authors themselves.

Meanwhile, members of the French Club were busy organizing a festival de dessert for teachers and fellow students. The menu included a mouthwatering array of homemade crepes, custards, and pastries, along with information about the country or region known for each dessert. Similarly, the Italian club celebrated a night of Italian food, music, and culture that included the induction of new Italian Honor Society members and dancing the Tarantella.

Garden City High School students of Italian sharing the stories, illustrations, and books they created with first graders from Hemlock School at the High School Library. After the readings, the first graders took the books back to Hemlock.

These are just a few of the activities the World Language Department implemented during the school year to make language study a dynamic and relevant experience for all members of the Garden City school community. It's no wonder, then, that the Long Island Lan-guage Teachers Poster Contest honored 10 Garden City High School students enrolled in World Language classes taught by Peter Giacalone, Lea Brunetti, Walter Koob, or Jeannot Barr. Each student received a certificate from the organization for their achievement.

Elementary school students also adopted the contest theme, illustrating their interpretation of the languages link us together concept on original posters and discussing the ways in which knowing other languages helps to unite people from around the world. Garden City is one of the few school districts with a Foreign Language in Elementary School (FLES) program. Spanish language in-struction is introduced at Stewart and Stratford Schools in the second grade through songs, games and activities designed to make language learning interactive and enjoyable.

Top row, Garden City High School World Language students Philip Vouyiouklakis, Mike Wilson, Breanne Lynch, Diana Honerkamp, and Arielle Gogh; front row, Jen Passaretti, Lisa Yanosik, and Danielle Mangelli; not pictured, winner Amanda Gog and Diana Honerkamp, who received Honorable Mention.