March 26, 2015

Media Advisory -- ‘Foreign Language Day’

The Department of Languages, Cultures and International Trade at Southern Illinois University Carbondale expects to host more than 1,100 high school students from nearly two dozen area high schools (and one middle school) for the 43rd annual SIU Foreign Language Day on Friday, March 27. 

Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover the event, which runs from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Center ballrooms. Students participate in foreign language Scholar Bowl tournaments and cultural events, and have the opportunity to practice the languages they learn in class. The awards ceremony is at 12:30 p.m. For a full schedule of events, contact Pamela Walker, Foreign Language Day Committee chair, at pjwalker@siu.edu or 536-5571. 

Event organizers will reprise a popular feature from last year -- the foreign language study forum, beginning at 1:15 p.m. Students will join SIU Carbondale undergraduate foreign language students in a discussion on what it’s like to study a foreign language at the college-level. Teachers will have a similar opportunity at the teacher luncheon held during the event. 

This year, for the first time, middle school students will also attend. Monica Jameson at Lone Oak Middle School in Paducah, Ky., asked to bring her students so they could experience the cultural events and the collegiate atmosphere at SIU. 

These are the pre-registered, participating schools:

Belleville West High School

Benton Consolidated High School

Carbondale Community High School

Carterville High School

Christopher High School

Collinsville High School

Du Quoin High School

Edwards County High School, Albion

Effingham High School

Frankfort Community High School

Herrin High School

Hillsboro High School

Lone Oak Middle School, Paducah, Ky.

Marion High School

Massac County High School

McCracken County High School, Paducah, Ky.

Mt. Vernon Township High School

Nashville High School

Red Bud High School

Sparta High School

Saint Anthony High School, Effingham

Waterloo High School

Wesclin High School, Trenton