On Thursday, March 17th, at 5:00 p.m, SFHS held its annual World Language Honor Society Induction Ceremony in the dining hall. The National German, Latin, French, and Spanish Honor Societies all banded together to hold an event for their new members where students were formally accepted into their respective societies and learned about the importance of an education centered around the acceptance of multiple cultures.

Ms. Legall, the World Language Department Head at South, explained the requirements for membership in one of the honor societies.

“Our students become eligible for those honor societies if they have an A [in their World language courses] and are finishing their second year of study,” she said. “They also have to show a commitment to continue with the language until graduation, and there are also usually requirements for some service hours that relate to the language.”

Additionally, service requirements for each of the language honor societies can vary. For example, in Spanish, members must complete at least 8 tutoring hours, so earning and maintaining membership is no small feat. The induction was a celebration of these members’ dedication to meeting all of the requirements and fulfilling their hours.

The ceremony started with Ms. Legall introducing all of the clubs and providing a little bit of background on the tradition of world languages at South. Afterward, she welcomed all of the officers to take the stage and honor all of their inductees.

First, the French Honor Society officers went to the front of the dining hall and addressed their members. Officers Saahithya Gutta, Niha Ramesh, Bertie Vyas and Elisabeth Moreau spoke the pledge which discussed the ceremony’s inspiration from the Grecian “handing over the torch,” as well as the importance of carrying on the tradition.

“We who shall be leaving you in a few months transmit to you the torch of our enthusiasm and our motto: Celui qui sait deux langues en vaut deux!” the officers announced, which roughly translated to “those who know two languages are worth double!”

Ms. Legall echoed this sentiment, stating, “The world is extremely connected right now, and we know that everything is connected globally from an economic and cultural standpoint. It’s important that when our students show an interest in learning another language, they don’t just learn the language but the culture as well, so that we can continue to foster global understanding and respect.”

After French, the German and Latin Honor Society officers took their turns honoring their members. Rebecca Bohn, Katherine Yang, Zuzannah Perak, Elise Kopp, and Jocelyn Somerson represented the German club and Saumya Agarwal and Ishan Mahajan represented Latin. Both societies congratulated all of their inductees and emphasized the purpose of learning multiple languages and the skills it would provide for the future.

The final honor society to honor its passionate members was the Spanish National Honor Society. Officers Melania Pacheco, Naisha Roy, Ayesha Raparla and Anusha Ejaz all recited the pledge towards South Forsyth High School and their chapter, named Julio Cortázar. Each inductee held a candle to symbolize the different tenets of the society and lit them along with the officers.

Moreover, the ceremony also encouraged further participation in world languages for all students at South. Despite bilingualism being a vital skill, Ms. Legall explained that the U.S. was actually behind in world language development; however, this induction ceremony served as a step in the right direction.

“In Europe, most kids learn a second language starting in first grade, but in the U.S. we don’t normally start until middle school and in some cases, high school. So, it’s great to see that so many students are taking other languages and want to learn about other cultures,” she concluded.

At the end of the induction ceremony, all the new members received certificates to honor their achievements and lined up to sign a book holding all of the names from past members. They then went around for photos with their officers and the administration before treating themselves to sweet treats and refreshments provided by the societies. The students’ families and friends all ended the day by celebrating their accomplishments and discovering the significance of learning various languages.