Jupiter Foreign Language Students Excel at County Competition
Jupiter Community High School foreign language students recently competed at the Palm Beach County Foreign Language Teachers’ Association’s World Languages Fair, held at Palm Beach Central High School. Participating teachers included Teresita Iglesias, Doris Carlin, Lourdes Prachyl, Juan Claudio, Jacqueline Lyons, Glenda Sidman, Gianina Ireland, Lynn Phillips, Christine Podlesnik and Leigh Clark. Events included entertainment, culture projects, vocabulary and reading comprehension, impromptu speaking, declamation, and dramatic presentation. The Spanish Competition Team, known as Los Amigos Vagabundos, debuted their drama, called Fantasía de Navidad, by Cuban writer Oscar Hijuelos, in preparation for state competition in two weeks at the Florida State Spanish Conference in Orlando.
The students who won blue ribbons (Superior) at the Saturday event for entertainment include Kendra Wrightson, Beth Ficker, Brandee Bice, Morgan Hudson, and Jasmin Samuel for their French Can-Can dancing. For culture projects, blue ribbon winners include Rachell Cucca, Ryan Goebel, Stephanie England, Chase Goldsborough, Katie Walther, Evan Carbonell, Madeline Middleton, Travis Smith, Stephanie Schweighardt, Destiny Ortiz, Tyler Mulcahy and Caitlin Crump. Ms. Crump’s project, “Costa Rican Pottery,” was named the “Best in Show for Spanish Projects.”
For dramatic presentation, blue ribbon winners include members of Los Amigos Vagabundos–Cresencia Cruz, Alejandro Beattie, Sarah Chew, Jacob Stamm, Steisy Díaz, Rebecca Chew, Ashley Jacobs, María Velázquez, María Gavilanes, and Sonia Castañeda. Senior Rishi Abbi, Christina Lucas and Brandi Pavao won blue ribbons for their declamations in Spanish and French, respectively. For vocabulary knowledge, Natalie Bosso won a blue ribbon, as did Hannah Gail DeRuysscher, Dominic Russo, and Erika Anclade for reading comprehension. For impromptu speaking, Alejandro Beattie received a blue ribbon for his speech comparing the value of family from both Hispanic and American points of view.
The following students received red ribbons (Excellent) for their impromptu speaking performances at the countywide fair—Amiga Vagabundas Samantha Spann and Steisy Díaz. Other red ribbon winners included Allison Drew, Casey Coffey, Kristen Donechie, Kristina Goodman, and Gareth Aiken in projects, and Brandon Kilpatrick in Reading Comprehension.
Third place white ribbons (Good) were awarded to the following students: Meghan D’Amore in reading comprehension; Blanca Galvez and Pía Wallis in declamation; Abigale Pruitt, Alex Price, Patrick Krieger, and Victoria Sánchez in projects; Vasthi Ciceron in declamation; and Brandon Kilpatrick in Vocabulary.
Samantha McGovern and Christina Lucas received Honorable Mention certificates in Reading Comprehension. Jerald Greenfeld participated in the event.
“This annual event was a great success,” said Spanish teacher and president of the sponsoring association, Leigh Clark. “The students participated in friendly competition and gained in confidence and self-assuredness in the process. These are qualities that we strive to instill in our students. Congratulations to all participants.”
The Palm Beach County Foreign Language Teachers’ Association’s World Languages Fair reflects the School District’s focus and success in encouraging all students to become active and productive citizens in the community and around the world.
For more information please contact Ms. Clark at 561-744-7900 or clarkle@palmbeach.k12.fl.us
