In the third marking period, JFS students in Bryan Tran’s seventh- and eighth-grade French 
classes collaborated with Binghamton University (BU) students studying introductory-level French with Professor Elizabeth Clarke. Students at BU wrote two stories in French: one was about two characters finding happiness in growing apricot trees and the other was about two characters being transported into a video game. JFS French students used their reading and thinking skills to answer questions about what they read, and their artistic talents to draw pictures for these stories. Seventh grader Ian Nunn said, “It was great to read in French about video games. I learned new words and drew some pretty cool pictures.”
To celebrate their efforts, Monsieur Tran arranged a field trip to the restaurant “The Shop” for his students to meet the BU students who authored these stories. They enjoyed delicious crêpes, talked in basic French, and received awards for their illustrations and teamwork. Ian added, “I thought the whole experience was awesome. It was fun to meet the BU students and the crêpes were amazing.”
“Communicating in another language forges new friendships, and it brings food and culture together,” said Monsieur Tran. “French students are tenacious learners, and they deserve to be celebrated for their hard work, enthusiasm, and perseverance!”
Thank you to JFS teachers Paige Buck, Ali Cerretani, and Lisa Spaccaforno for joining our French students for an enjoyable evening filled with crêpes, laughter, and camaraderie. Congratulations to all! Féliciations! #TigerPride!
