Bon Voyage !

Summer Scholarship Immersion Trips – May 2012

In June 2012, twelve Award Towards Excellence Program students received scholarship trips to France and Concordia Language Villages.

Each year students are selected based upon their achievements in the program and by individual essays and interviews conducted by the Educational Outreach Committee.

Les étudiants racontent
Students Write About Their Travels

Trip to France—June 2012:

Discovering the "Old World"

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"I loved the stained glass of the Notre Dame Cathedral. I could not help thinking about Victor Hugo's novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I finally understood why Hugo felt that the cathedral was a 'symphony set in stone.' " – Alicia

"Walking through the Sacré Cœur, I was extremely humbled by the sheer magnificence and grandeur of the place. I couldn't take my eyes off of the art or the ceiling, the shrines; every single detail was polished and refined to make one glorious monument." – Jon

"At the Musée d’Orsay, I was able to see Monet’s work in person at long last. I was brought to tears at how a man almost blind could create such beauty.”
– Vantryce

“My friends and I went to watch a World Cup game right in front of the Eiffel Tower at the FIFA Fan Fest, but first we bought a soccer ball and decided to play a bit. After a while, a Chinese man asked if he could play, and minutes later a group of French teenagers asked to join. While playing we were able to talk and learn about each other's cultures. The French are very passionate about soccer.” – Luis

“It seemed to me that people in Paris are happier when they aren’t working and depressed when they are working. It just goes to show that Parisians have their priorities straight.” – Jon

“The French were very friendly. In fact, we found that they love Americans, especially in Normandy. Sometimes they do not agree with our government, that’s all.”
– Kenyatta

Trip to Concordia Language Villages in Minnesota—June 2012:

A French immersion experience

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“Lac du Bois is so much fun. It is really cool to be surrounded by so much French. I find myself speaking it all the time. Today we heard about Senegal from a counselor who is Sénégalais. I understood everything. I have become ‘superfrançais’ as they say here!”
– Veronica

“I am a firm believer in that being immersed in a language is the best way to learn it. Not only did I learn more about the French language and culture, I learned about being a global citizen. I loved the feeling when all the villages came together on International Day. Being at Lac du Bois helped nudge me towards the direction I’m headed for college; I now have an interest in majoring in International Relations.”
– Willa

“I feel comfortable speaking French even if I make mistakes. I am surprised as to how much Lac du Bois has helped me grow as a person. I went there scared of speaking French and only preoccupied with my own culture and returned with eyes open to all the different cultures in this world.” – Alison