Songs, dances, poems and skits in various languages filled the hallways of Convent of the Sacred Heart during the week of March 10. Students and teachers celebrated the school’s first ever World Languages Week, featuring performances in Chinese, French, Spanish, Latin and Arabic. 
The purpose of World Languages Week  was to educate the student body about the diverse cultures, traditions and languages of the world. Students in all grades had opportunities to share their respective languages through unique performances.  
“World Languages Week was a really fun and interesting way to learn more about other cultures,” junior Concetta Brusco said. “The performances were both educational and entertaining.”
Monday, students celebrated the Chinese language and culture. The Chinese IV class presented a Chinese rendition of “Let it Go,” the hit song from Disney’s Frozen. Students in the Chinese I and Chinese II classes also performed cultural dances.
“I really liked that the Chinese classes had so many opportunities to share not only the language, but also the culture, such as the different dances and clothing,” junior Sheila Moran said.
Students also participated in a school-wide flash mob in the gym. Members of the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools learned the lyrics and dance moves to “Vivir Mi Vida” by Marc Anthony.

“I think the flash mob was the highlight of the week because it set a tone for the rest of the week of how all the different cultures were going to come together,” Upper School World Language teacher Mrs. Kathryn Cooley said.
French speakers took the stage Tuesday when the French V class performed a musical rendition of “Sensation,” a poem by Arthur Rimbaud, and senior Isabella Von Hapsburg recited a French monologue.
The French IV and Chinese IV classes performed a collaborative song and dance, singing in both Chinese and French to “Bizoo D’eskimo,” a song from the French cartoon Pigloo.
“I loved the collaboration ,” Mrs. Cooley said. “It was the first collaboration of its kind between the Chinese and French classes and I think it worked out really well and helped students see how different cultures come together.”
Students also had the opportunity to recite poems in different languages during break Tuesday.
Junior Gaby Lopez shared her Guatemalan heritage in a personal documentary to celebrate the Spanish language Wednesday, followed by the Spanish V class’ film presentation of a dramatic play. 

“The morning meeting presentations not only showed students how important languages are, but also amazed the faculty by showing them how proficient the students are at so many different languages,” Mrs. Cooley said.
Towards the end of the week, the Arabic class showed a video in which they describe the significance of calligraphy and showcase their own creations. There was also an open mic in the Core Center Thursday where students performed their favorite songs and dances of different cultures.
The week-long celebration concluded Friday with a chapel dedicated to appreciating and respecting different languages.
“I’m so happy Sacred Heart decided to celebrate World Languages Week, and I learned so much about different languages and cultures that I previously knew nothing about,” junior Catie Capolongo said. “I can’t wait to celebrate again next year.”
-Anna Phillips, Co-Features Editor
Video courtesy of Convent of the Sacred Heart Broadcast Journalism