With the multitude of clubs that WHHS has to offer, the language clubs often attract students. They offer knowledge about languages and the cultures that accompany them without having to take the class and are great additions to college resumes.
“It’s a community and it’s a good way to meet new people and friends,” Margo Kane, ‘28, a member of French Club, said.
French Club is run by one of WHHS’s French teachers, Doreena Fox. Fox is assisted by Soliè Thress, ‘26, and Anas Farrag, ‘25, the two club presidents.
“I think French is such a useful language to have because there [are] so many countries where it is spoken,” Thress said.
Oftentimes joining a club can be a stressful undertaking; language clubs are not an exception to this. One common misconception about the club is that students have to be in the class or skilled in the language to join, but in French Club, this is not the case.
“[French club] is really fun and educational and I feel like I’m learning while still having fun,” Kane said.
On Nov. 7, French Club hosted a scavenger hunt after school to find various French and European candies that had been hidden around the school. To find the treats, club members had to translate to English a paper with hints written in French.
“We’re hiding French candies all around the school and every man is for themselves,” Thress said.
During their previous meeting, French Club enjoyed crepes, a pancake-like dish, while learning about the dishes’ impact on French culture.
“I thought it was fun and I really like history, so I think that was a good learning experience,” Kane said.
Experienced members of French Club have the opportunity to join the National French Honor Society. Société Honoraire de Français is run by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) and includes a multitude of benefits: scholarships, subscriptions, awards and grants. To be an official member, students must show their knowledge of French through multiple years of taking French classes.
“Société Honoraire de Français is a national French honor society known around the US.” Fox said. “If you obtain a 3.5 [GPA] or above in a three-level French course, you can be a member.”
While Paris, France, is considered to be a fairly popular tourist attraction for French Club members, the beauty of France and other French-speaking countries as a whole is underestimated.
“French is such a broad language…I want people to see that there’s so much more than just Paris, France,” Thress said.