BBA French students place nationally again on the National French Exam

Clement Martini ‘26, Sam Cole ’24, Alec Vartanitan ‘27, and Frasier Bergman ‘27 of Burr and Burton Academy have ranked nationally in the 89th annual event, according to Lisa Narug, National Director of Le Grand Concours.  Martini received a Gold medal at Level 5, Cole received a Bronze medal at Level 3, and Vartanian and Bergman received Bronze medals at Level 2. Twelve additional BBA students (Alli Aubin, Nora Ward, Olav Pajala, Hazel Cornwell, Dahlia Cohn, Pengju Sui, Reagan Healy, Delphine Dobbleman, Luna Raso, Zach Lindenberg, Robin LaConte, and Jacob Honigsfeld) received Honorable Mentions at various levels. All are students of Michelle Emery at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester.  Le Grand Concours is a national competition sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French.  Students were evaluated for their written, oral and listening comprehension skills in French.  Nearly 45,000 students competed in the 2024 event. 

AATF President Eileen Walvoord indicated: These students have demonstrated excellence in their study of French and are to be highly commended. In their French classes, throughout the school year, they have used the French language to engage with authentic documents and individuals around the world, all the while exploring cultures as diverse as Mali and Monaco, Senegal and Switzerland, Tunisia and Togo. The superior level of language achievement that they have attained will serve them well as they use these linguistic and communication skills throughout their personal and professional lives interacting with diverse peoples and cultures around the world and in their own communities. The students’ parents should also be commended for their support for their children and for the French programs that make this outstanding achievement possible. On behalf of the American Association of Teachers of French, I offer to all who have contributed to these excellent high-ranking results: students, teachers, parents, administrators, as well as the local and national administrators of the National French Contest: Congratulations to all! Félicitations à vous toustes!

For more information about the National French Contest, please visit our website: www.frenchteachers.org/concours.