The 31st annual Foreign Language Festival welcomed more than 300 students from 12 high schools across Louisiana to campus to compete in French and Spanish speaking and writing competitions.
Competitions for the festival took place on Thursday, April 18 from 8 a.m. through 11:30 a.m. in the War Memorial Student Union and D Vickers Hall. At 1:30 p.m., an awards ceremony was held in the Student Union Theatre.
“The tradition started 31 years ago with the department head,” said Dr. Lucia Harrison, the head of the department of languages and communication. “Because we are such a large group of people interested in foreign languages in this area, we have the rally already, so we said, ‘Why don’t we have something fun for the students where they can participate in different competitions such as extemporaneous speaking, prose, poetry, play drama and native speakers, too?’ We have more variety of events, and the students and the teachers liked the idea, so we started it. It’s been growing and growing every year.”
Luz Escobar, instructor of Spanish, has been the coordinator of the Foreign Language Festival for many years.
“We invite the schools to participate. They come to register, and then we start the process of getting awards, prizes, trophies, judges,” said Escobar. “This is what I do during four months of the year. The most important part of the festival is to open Southeastern to them so that they can maybe think that Southeastern is a possibility for attending. We open it up, give them the opportunity to compete, and you can see they’re happy here.”
According to Harris, the festival has been a relaxed form of recruiting for years.
“I have students who tell me, ‘I remember coming to Southeastern because I came to this competition, and we really liked what we saw here. It felt very comfortable and familiar, so we decided to come,'” said Harrison. “So they are not necessarily going to major in foreign languages, but the fact that we help Southeastern at all, that’s a real plus. Many students are going to major in different subjects, but it’s important for us to open the door for all students, even though they are not going to necessarily major in the foreign languages. I think it’s good for the entire community of Southeastern.”
Junior Jasmine Jones of Mount Carmel Academy was the winner of an all-expense paid Mexico cruise as a reward for her excellence in Spanish.
“I’ve been studying Spanish since I was in kindergarten, so to just be immersed in the Spanish culture and to come to Southeastern where there’s a festival just for knowing foreign languages is truly an honor,” said Jones. “I’m proud of myself and the other people that competed because we really have all worked hard to prepare for this.”
Bianchi Hughes, a senior from the International High School of New Orleans, won a study abroad trip to Belgium to study French.
“I’ve been here before. It’s nerve-wracking, but it’s exciting that all the work we’ve done through the years has helped me to win this competition,” said Hughes. “I’m excited to go to Belgium.”  
Both students have looked at Southeastern as an option for the future, but neither has decided where they will attend college yet.
The International High School of New Orleans earned the most awards and the titles of Best School Overall in Spanish and French.
For additional information, contact the department of languages and communication at (985)549-2105 or [email protected].