By Luke Schneider ’20

Students had the opportunity to participate in the National French Contest, for the first time ever at the Middle School. It was open to all French students, and teachers encouraged all eligible French students to participate in the test. In past years, contests have been held for other world language classes, such as Spanish and Latin. However, this was the first time that it was available to French students.
“[The contest] encourages people to better their French, and encourages people to take French as a class, and that is really important,” French student and contestant George Grube ‘20 said.
Students who performed well on the test will have the opportunity to receive an award from the American Association of Teachers of French, consisting of certificates awarded to those who score in the top 50 percent and top 20 percent, along with prizes awarded for those who gained chapter and national recognition.
Test takers were given 60 minutes to answer between 60 and 70 multiple choice questions, depending on their level. The results of the test do not have an effect on students’ grades, and because of this, all students were encouraged to take the test regardless of their ability. Students who received recognition are able to put their awards on their resumes when applying to colleges.
The test was administered digitally, with sections on both listening to French audio and reading comprehension. Also, many resources were provided for the students who took the test in order to study and practice their French skills beforehand.