The Department of World Languages at Wilton High School is hosting its annual Festival of Languages, a school-wide extravaganza, scheduled from March 12-14. The 32-year tradition enriches the curriculum by bringing together the school community to celebrate the world’s cultures and languages. The planning committee, which has been organizing the event since October, is led by language teachers Señor Scott Webster and Señora Lauren Kantor with student leaders Jayna Gumins and Alex Killian.
This year’s Festival will feature nearly 30 events including Salsa and Merengue dancing, a presentation by the Model Congress club, and a classical Greek and Roman trivia contest. The ever popular World Language Talent Show headlines the Festival brimming with song, music, and language. There will also be craft workshops on Origami and even an Eiffel Tower building competition. Events such as Meditation with Tibetan Singing Bowls and discussions led by the school’s Unicef and Operation Smile clubs highlight the importance of reaching beyond the WHS community.
The committee has worked closely with other academic areas like Music and Public Speaking to design events that connect across disciplines. Nearly all events are organized and led by students themselves, while several outside professionals will be invited–for example, an Irish dance group, sponsored by the Wilton High School PTSA.
The hallways of Wilton High School will be infused with a sense of festivity that emphasizes open-mindedness and a global outlook. The excitement of this Festival is pervasive throughout the school, with one or two events offered every period of each day. With interludes of cultural music in between classes and a special international menu during lunch, the Festival committee hopes to ensure that the global celebratory spirit reaches all students and staff.