Bienvenido World Language Week
Cultural display in Mr. Basile’s room for World Language Week
March 7, 2016
Tired of the same schedule every day? Looking for some fun to add to your week? Look no further; World Language week is coming back to GHS starting March 14th.
“The state of Massachusetts recognizes the importance of learning a foreign language,” said Spanish teacher Celestino Basile, “and the third week of March has been designated as Language week. Schools are asked to do something special in celebration of that week.”
According to Basile, many schools do not participate in World Language week because of a lack of funding. This year, however, the Gloucester Education Foundation provided a $2000 grant to fund the activities that are planned.
On Monday during C block, Historia Antiqua presenter Doug Ryan will be dressed as a Roman warrior in body armor and will give a presentation about the Roman army. The presentation will take place in the lecture hall and is open to History and English departments.
On Tuesday, Basile’s room will be a “Museum in the Classroom.” There will be over 85 ancient Egyptian, Roman, and Greek reproductions of artifacts displayed in the classroom all day. Students interested can complete activities as they tour the “museum.” Members from the school committee and the mayor, as well as anyone in the community, have been invited to view the “museum” during after school hours.
On Wednesday, there will be a special breakfast held for faculty members.
On Thursday, Irish band trio David de la Barre, Linda Shields Swicker, and Adrienne Howard will be playing Irish music in the cafeteria during both lunches.
On Friday, The Italian serenaders will be singing Italian songs in the cafeteria during both lunches as well.
Along with these fun activities, the cafeteria has been asked to make something special during the week for food.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea to have world language week,” said Spanish and French teacher Carol Finacey. “It exposes the students to different cultures and it helps to motivate them to study a foreign language.”
According to Finacey, there will be student-made posters lining the Language hallway all week.
The 2016 theme to World Language week, and for the posters as well, is “languages are the keys to global understanding.”
