Some visiting public school French students flexed their language skills at this annual Montclair State University French program seminar.
On March 20 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the annual World Languages and Cultures Department French Day took place at University Hall. Some 300 high school French students, and some middle schoolers, came from 13 schools throughout North and Central Jersey.
According Dr. Elizabeth Emery, French Day coordinator, the 2026 French Day marks the 11th consecutive seminar sponsored by the World Languages and Cultures Department. Emery ran the event with fellow French professors Dr. Kathleen Loysen and Dr. Pascale LaFountain. Loysen is also the department’s chair.
In addition, Emery said four World Languages French adjunct professors and about 10 non-faculty volunteers assisted with French Day presentations.
According to Emery, French Day featured hands-on French workshops. The themes included the French and Haitian Revolutions, the FIFA World Cub, Paris fashion and Quebec maple syrup production.
The exhibitions took place in three first floor University Hall rooms. There was also a high school French class film contest. Wayne Valley and Ramsey High Schools took first place in their respective competition categories.
Dr. Elizabeth Emery, World Languages And Cultures French professor, gives a French language introduction to French Day at University Hall's seventh floor Conference Center. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
Emery said the French forum was split into two consecutive sessions to accommodate the 300-student turnout.
At 8:45 a.m., the growing anticipation for French Day was becoming apparent. A crowd of enthusiastic students were seen entering University Hall’s south entrance. A few were heard speaking French to one another. The excited visitors took the elevators the 7th floor Conference Center.
There, Emery welcomed the attentive audience in French. Continuing in the language, she explained French Day’s activities and schedule. The professor also discussed the university’s French program and the Career Hub For International Language Learning (CHILL). CHILL is the World Languages’ online centralized foreign language resource center.
Emery told the students that foreign language knowledge is an asset.
“Any language that you speak is a superpower,” she said in English.
After the introduction, the students headed downstairs via elevator to the first-floor workshops.
French Day guests look at slides during the Haitian and French revolution workshop in University Hall Room 1020. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
In University Hall Room 1030, Emery was seen heading the FIFA segment with digital slide shows. Assisting her were Assane Ka and Maxime Irie Boli, both university French minors. The lesson included French soccer terms and an overview of the 2026 FIFA Competition. The guests were heard reciting the soccer vocabulary.
While there, Claire Grimonprez, a Notre Dame High School of Lawrenceville French teacher, was interviewed about French Day. Grimonprez said the extracurricular conference broadens the student’s horizons.
Claire Grimonprez, French teacher, Notre Dame High School of Lawrenceville. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
“I think it’s good for students of French to have exposure to the language in an environment different from the classroom,” Grimonprez said.
Also commenting was Pierre Abd, a Bound Brook High School French teacher. He was present at the French and Haitian revolution workshop in University Hall Room 1020.
Abd said the seminar provides high school French students with “a good networking opportunity.” He said the teenagers see the campus and meet the university’s French professors.
Pierre Abd, French teacher, Bound Brook High School. Photo credit: Thomas Boud
“Also, it’s a chance for them to use the language outside the class,” Abd said.
Abd added that French courses alone are insufficient for mastering the language.
“Three times a week — impossible,” he said, referring to French class meeting frequency. “You need real life experience to learn how to use the language well.”
When asked, Emery said French Day has drawn interest from schools near and far over the years.
High school students head to the elevators en route to French workshops after attending French Day orientation at University Hall's seventh floor Conference Center. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
“In the past, we’ve had schools from Pennsylvania. We had schools from New York City. We had schools from way far south Jersey,” Emery said.
Emery added that the idea for the event came from former students.
“French Day started when some of our alumni wrote,” Emery recalled, “and said that they would like to have an event that is closer to New York City where they could bring students to practice their French and learn about culture and different countries where French is spoken.”
Meanwhile, Loysen said the March 20 French Day created a lot of participation from its attendees.
Dr. Kathleen Loysen, World Languages And Cultures Department chair, narrates French Day's Haitian And French independence workshop with French commentary inside University Hall Room 1020. Photo credit: Thomas Boud
“I was truly impressed by the level of engagement and excitement on the part of all the local high school students participating in French Day,” Loysen said. “It was gratifying to help future college students understand that college-level classes learning can be fun, interactive, and thought provoking; helping to make connections between what they already know and what else is out there to learn.”
According to Loysen, the students’ satisfaction was evident by testimonials on an “interactive reaction board” in University Hall Room 1120. The flip chart bore adhesive notes with feedback. Loysen said the statements included “Montclair rocks!” and “See you in three years!”
A large projection displays the Paris fashion workshop in University Hall Room 1040 during French Day. The annual seminar, hosted by the university's French program, attracts secondary school French students throughout North and Central Jersey. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
