CAMPUS VIEW: FRECH CLUB HELPS PROMOTE FRENCH CULTURE

The French Club at Jackson High School is a club open to any students who have taken a French class and are wanting to participate. Our goal is to get the members more interested in the French culture though the activities that we do.

Our sponsor is Mrs. Darlene Houhcins, French teacher at JHS. Officers are Julie Gerecke, president; Jodie Brunke, vice-president; Andrea Penland, secretary; Marci Myracle, treasurer; Mary Bono, historian; and Jamie Pierce, foreign correspondent.

The biggest project that the French Club does is to sponsor an underprivileged child in French Guinea. He is s16 years old and his name is Mori. We keep correspondence with him during the year through letters. He writes us back and usually sends pictures.

We also do activities pertaining to the French culture. In early December, we took a road trip to Ste. Genevieve. We visited the Felix Valle home, which is a state historic site. It was decorated according to 19th century French customs, and the dinner table was set with the traditional Christmas dinner including 13 desserts. Afterwards, we ate and got a little bit of Christmas shopping done in historic Ste. Gen!

Another thing that we do annually is to have a Christmas social. Members go caroling in a neighborhood in Jackson, singing French Christmas carols. We then go back to someone's house for refreshments.

A new activity that took place this year was the scavenger hunt that the French Club cosponsored with the Spanish Club. It took place after school and the participants searched for things that were answers to questions which were in French or Spanish. Another activity we are trying to get started is a Mardi Gras celebration. Since Mardi Gras is a French holiday, we want to share our knowledge of it with the Spanish Club. It will hopefully be held in early March.

Along with the Spanish Club, the French Club also tries to get the whole student body involved in Foreign Language Week. It is usually in March or April. We hold trivia contests, diplay foreign items in the showcase, honor our exchange students, and usually end with a foreign dinner.

Members of the French Club also compete in the Foreign Language Fair at SEMO. There are many different categories to choose from, including reciting poems, singing French songs, writing in French, and displaying artwork. In years past, the JHS French club has had many successful entries.

Our fundraiser for this year will be bagging groceries at Country Mart in Jackson. The money raised will go to our sponsorship of Mori and our club scholarship. It is given out in May to one of its graduating members.

Also at the end of the year, we have a formal dinner at N'Orleans Restaurant. Members with enough points can go and the club pays for a portion of the meal.

This year, we are lucky to have Lucie Lambert with us. She is a foreign exchange student from Lyon, France. We are thankful that she is here.

So far this year, the members of French Club have been very excited about all the different things that we do. They are always willing to help out when they are needed. Although learning the language can be difficult, we all love it. It brings people from all different backgrounds together with one common interest.