Registration Deadline Feb. 1—

French Students Invited To Participate In Alliance Française Essay Competition

WOODBURY — Suzanne Coonley, a member of the World Languages Department of Nonnewaug High School, has arranged for Alliance Française of Northwestern Connecticut to offer area French students the opportunity to participate in the National French Language Contest organized by the Délégation Générale de l’Alliance Française de Paris and the Fédéracion des Alliances Françaises of the United States.

All public and private school students studying French from Level I through Advanced Placement courses in northwestern Connecticut – including students in the greater Danbury area — are invited to assemble at Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury to write an essay on topics provided for each level by the Alliance Française. Prizes offered by TV-5 and Air France, among others, include roundtrip tickets to Paris, a scholarship for studying in France, cash awards, and French books and CD-ROMs.

There are five divisions of participants: Division A, for undergraduate college students with three years or more of French; Division B, undergraduate college students with less than three years; Division C, high school students with three years or more of French; Division D, high school students with less than three years of French; and Division E, Alliance Française students (advanced classes).

All students must be sponsored by an Alliance Française chapter.

The Alliance Française of Northwestern Connecticut (SFNWCT) is adding two categories for high school students: Beginning Level Students and Second-Year Students. The subjects of these essays will be determined by AFNWCT. Visit the chapter’s website at www.afnwct.org for information.

In addition to the prizes to be won at the national level, AFNWCT will offer $25 for the best beginning composition, $45 for the best second year composition, $65 for the best composition in Category C, and $85 for the best advanced composition in Category D. In addition, winners in categories C and D will be sent on for competition at the national level.

Essay writing will take place on Thursday, February 16, between 3:30 and 5:30 pm, at Nonnewaug High School, 5 Minortown Road in Woodbury.  Students must register before February 1.

Contact Mrs Coonley at SCoonley@CTreg14.org or call the high school’s World Language Department at 203-263-2186 to register or for additional information.