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Faire Votre Connaissance—Getting to Know You

by Paul Cimino

In case you haven’t noticed, there has been much “faire votre connaissance” (that’s French for “getting to know you”) on the northshore. And much of it has been taking place at Tchefuncte Middle School in Mandeville. For months, twenty-four fifth and sixth grade students at the school met after their regular classes to study the French language and culture in preparation for a trip to France in late April. Plans included their attending school in Bailly Romain-Villier, a town near Euro Disney, approximately forty kilometers from Paris.

Under the leadership of faculty member Deanna Desmond (See sidebar.), the group met each Thursday afternoon for two and one-half hours. One hour was completely devoted to language study taught by a native French teacher to insure language correctness and authenticity. At the end of the language session, Desmond stepped in to focus on French culture study, which includes customs, traditions, songs, history, heroes and life in general in France. Students were even taught to sing “La Marsellaise,” the French national anthem!

While the St. Tammany students were preparing here, a similar student group was doing likewise in France. Each year, the groups are selected on both sides of the Atlantic to exchange visits. Before their trips, the students swap pen pal letters and cards for several months. Also, both groups send “All About Me” books to their selected pen pal—informal bios with pertinent personal information, such as age, grade, likes in music, photographs, etc. Greeting cards are exchanged at Christmas, as well as stories from each student about how they celebrate the holiday in their country. With acquaintances established and affirmed, the students come to know their host families through their pen pals.

During their visits, which are under close supervision by adult chaperones, each group gets to meet local officials, visit national monuments and is taken to numerous places of interest. In essence, it’s a “welcome to my world” experience. While the Mandeville class is eagerly looking forward to many famous landmarks seen previously only in film and photographs, the French children were mesmerized by Louisiana when they visited the northshore in early spring. The great Mississippi River, the French Quarter and its French street names, and the D-Day Museum were among the students’ list of favorites. Also of particular interest were Louisiana plantation homes and their history.

The French students were a great credit to their teachers, their directors, the program and to the entire French nation, says Desmond. Their maturity and comportment were unfaltering at all times and transcended their young ages, which ranged from twelve to fourteen. When asked their impressions of America, their answers were fast and direct. One twelve-year-old, Antoine Ame, declared his fascination for the steamboat Natchez and was awed by the vastness of America, albeit that the country is such a “young” nation and lacks a long history such as Europe’s. He also admired the school “moms” interest and participation in educational programs here, as well as the variety of foods those moms offer their children. He described this as “varry cool.”

Another student, twelve-year-old, Solenne Roux, thought it was great tribute to France to have so much of the French culture and customs in use here. After a visit to Lafayette’s Vermillionville, the Cajun-Creole heritage and folk life park that recreates life in the Acadiana area between 1765 and 1890, she said, “Vermillionville is so reminiscent of my home that it was hard not to believe I was back there!” Observations by the French teachers included comments stating that schools here are much larger, better equipped and much more regimented than those in France. All in all, the group was delighted with their visit, and plan a return trip on their own to see more of America.

It’s a joy to see the enthusiasm and excitement about this program in the faces of the Tchefuncte students And how they “parlez Français!” When asked their opinions about the experience, first-year student Kathleen Hebert speaks in superlatives. She believes that American students have the advantage, saying that she thinks English is more difficult to learn than French. Young Greg Cassidy feels it’s a wonderful way for both French and American students to show their worlds, and notes that he is very much looking forward to seeing the Eiffel Tower.

The Tchefuncte Middle School French Program is an invaluable asset to not only the school and its student body, but also as a life-enriching tool for the entire community. Nothing opens doors to international and human relations as widely as does the learning of other languages and entry into other cultures, particularly as our world grows smaller. Based on past exchanges, it is probable, if not inevitable, that this year’s groups form friendships that will endure a lifetime.
Merci, enfants!

The Tchefuncte French Program began in 1991 when a teacher from Ohio, Punkie Varas, transferred to Tchefuncte Middle School, bringing with her the seeds for the project. Modeling the program after one in Ohio, Ms. Varas directed it until her transfer out of state in 1999. Upon her departure, Deanna Desmond, a faculty member at the school, took over the direction and leadership of the program. She affected many changes and embellishments to the program, making it broader and more in-depth.

Desmond’s years-long devotion to the program has unquestionably been its mainstay. Her position as director is strictly voluntary. But her rewards, she says, are far greater than any monetary ones. They come in the form of seeing a whole new world opening to the students that allows them to value other cultures and realize not only differences, but, more importantly, similarities.

She says, “This is an experience which lasts a lifetime. It instills an appreciation in the students for not only other cultures, but other races as well. All this makes the amount of work the program requires seem more than worthwhile.”

Editor’s Note: The Tchefuncte students’ trip was planned for the end of April, which was after IN’s press deadline for this issue.