High Tech French II Students Visit Madeleine’s Petit Paris

(Northvale, NJ—May 30, 2014) After organizing their own French café at High Tech, Dr. Laje Gashi’s French II class experienced the connection between projects and real life by indulging in professionally prepared French cuisine at Madeleine’s Petit Paris, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech. The absolutely stunning restaurant resembles an elegant French country inn. From the moment one arrives at Madeleine’s Petit Paris, he or she receives a warm welcome from Chef Gaspard Caloz, his wife, Madeleine, and their son, Francois. As people walk in, a waiter greets everyone with "Bonjour." The High Tech French II students employed their linguistic skills by ordering their entrées in the lingua franca of the restaurant’s owners.

“This project allowed us to get in touch with French cuisine, but it also provided a lesson in responsibility and management,” says Yenibal Almanzar, a resident of Jersey City. “Just like in a real French restaurant, we had to determine our menus, produce the food, advertise our cafes, and manage a successful working café.”

Traditional French dishes such as poulet français, ratatouille, gratin dauphinois, soupe à l’oignon, and soupe aux champignons and desserts like mousse au chocolat and crème brulée met with unanimous approval from the students.

After dessert, Chef Caloz and Madeleine serenaded students with traditional French songs and even gathered some of them to sing along, too.

“Not only did we get to enjoy French Food, but this trip has made me want to learn French language and culture even more,” says Jessica Zhu, a resident of Harrison. “I really hope our French class can experience this trip next year and, hopefully, in Europe as well.”

Thirty-Five High Tech Students Earn Excellence Awards in French

(Carbondale, IL—June 9, 2014) The American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) has recognized 35 High Tech students with Excellence Awards that salutes non-native speakers from grades 9-12 who excel in the study of French, commit to study the language by participating in French-related activities, and maintain an average over 94, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School.

The following represents the list of students who received the Excellence Award:

Bayonne residents Amina and Sara Bendaoud, Hasumi Hayashi, Maria Kaldes, Danica Lichauco, Sofia Madrid, Alexia Mavros, Kara Neal, Tyng Pan, Sophia Velazquez, and Tristan Ventura; Edelyn Vargas of Guttenberg; Harrison residents Hsinyo Yin, Mingyu Zhao, and Jessica Zhu; Nicole Albornoz, Yenibal Almanzar, Vibha Chauhan, Amy Suchodolski, and Mya Veras of Jersey City; Kearny residents Rachel Spillane and Karim Zitouni; Elizabeth Acebedo, Denisse Cortes, Jennifer Falconi, and Michelle Majano of North Bergen; Secaucus residents Rachelle Manalo, Vicky Trieu, and Luana Xu; Giselle Camino, Tania Houwayek, and Maria Villalobos of Union City; Weehawken resident Kellen Dorio; and Alessandra Carreno-Novoa and Annabelle Familia of West New York.

Founded in 1927, the AATF represents the largest national association of French teachers in the world, with nearly 10,000 members to its credit. Headquartered at Southern Illinois University, the AATF boasts 73 chapters located all across the United States, and as a professional association, it promotes the study of French, facilitates the implementation of national and state standards in the classroom, encourages minimum levels of language and cultural proficiency, creates various opportunities for teachers and students, and supplies resources for classrooms.