Last week, Central held the annual World Languages Week, a week dedicated to promoting the study of World Languages and advocating for the enrollment in two languages at the same time. The week also served as a break from rigorous schedules of some World Languages students and gave students an opportunity to partake in more exciting events in honor of the week itself.

“My Spanish teacher showed us some funny videos and gave us a passport that could earn us homework passes,” said Nicole Maley, junior. “It was fun spending time in class doing more fun things than usual.”

The World Languages Department used the entertaining break from the normal curriculum as a way to attract students into taking a second language, even if already enrolled in one.

“It’s a week to celebrate and promote the study of different languages,” said Kristine Pohlman, Spanish teacher and World Languages Week organizer. “We want to let students know it’s possible to take more than one language, so we encourage them to do that, too.”

The week began with a video that many teachers showed, which interviewed students from the different world languages classes offered at Central.

“The video showed students in all types of languages, promoting their class and what they learned from it,” Maley said. “The Latin class, especially, seemed to show skills outside of just learning the language.”

World Languages Week is a national holiday celebrated in March, but the Hinsdale Central administration decided to commemorate the week in December to better fit the curriculum. The week itself was promoted nationally in 1954 under President Eisenhower.

“It started just to promote World Languages,” Pohlman said. “It ended up becoming a Presidential directive.”

The main reason for the week was to reiterate the importance of knowing languages, especially since so many people around the world know numerous languages. The Hinsdale Central World Languages Department wished to take part in that message as well.

“We did different activities in class to promote [course enrollment],” Pohlman said.

Maley added, “From what I’ve heard, a lot of students including myself enjoyed and learned during the week.”