By Doug
Tattershall
"In light of today's
globalization, studying foreign language is not a luxury, it's a necessity."
-- Professor Margaret E. W.
Jones
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May 11, 1999 -- (Lexington, Ky.) -- More than 1,200 middle
school and high school students from throughout Kentucky will compete in the 23rd
annual Kentucky Foreign Language Festival on Saturday, May 15, at the University of
Kentucky. With plays, costumes, art and choir performances, the festival will offer the
sights and sounds of Spain, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Latin America and ancient
Rome. The students competing this weekend qualified for the state contest at 11
regional festivals, advancing by finishing in the top two in Spanish or French and the top
three in German, Japanese, Latin or Russian. In all, about 8,000 students participate in
the festival statewide.
"Learning a foreign language is not only about communication. It makes the student
aware of other cultures. And in light of today’s globalization, studying foreign
language is not a luxury, it’s a necessity," said Professor Margaret E.W. Jones,
chairwoman of the UK Department of Spanish and Italian and director of this year’s
festival.
Festival contests are scheduled from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Win, place and show awards
will be given in all categories at about 4 p.m. at Memorial Hall. State champion schools
will be crowned in each language based on overall performance. In addition, UK awards a
$1,000 scholarship in each language for outstanding performance in academic categories.
The festival is financially self-sufficient, using no state funds.
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