Montclair State University Hosts Innovative Immersion French Language Event for Local High School Students

Montclair State University hosted its tenth French Day cultural event, welcoming over 250 New Jersey high school students in order to celebrate French language, arts, and culture on March 6, 2024. In addition to a series of culture workshops, including discussions about the French fragrance industry, the 2024 Paris Olympics, music in Togo, the Moroccan tea ceremony, and hospitality in Senegal — all places where French is spoken — the event showcased student creativity.

In the film festival competition, Cresskill High School secured first place in the “Tableaux Vivants” category, which involved creating a backstory for a famous painting, while Wayne Valley High School claimed second place. Verona High School took home the top prize in the “Poésie en Images” competition, a cinematic performance of a French poem, with Bergen County Technical Schools – Teterboro Campus winning second place.

“It is a real joy to share in the enthusiasm and creativity of the participating high school students and their hard-working and dedicated teachers,” said Dr. Elizabeth Emery, organizer of the event and Professor of French at Montclair State University. “Events like this one foster cross-cultural understanding while encouraging students to practice their language skills in meaningful ways.”

It is worth noting that French companies constitute the second largest foreign creator of jobs in New Jersey, thus highlighting the importance of French language skills in the local economy. Additionally, French is spoken on five continents, which underscores its significance as a global language.

For more information about future events at Montclair State University, please visit www.montclair.edu