Westlake High School Students Inducted into New French Honor Society Chapter

Westlake High School's first chapter of La Societe Honoraire de Francais inudcted 37 students, and the school is abuzz about the prospects the new program will bring.

French teacher Nicolette Miller said that the new program will be a good motivator for students who are interested in French and maintain excellent grades. It will also help students like senior Mike Canestrano, who plans to continue studying French.

"I also have studied German and Latin here at school, so French isn't my second languagem" Canestrano said. "I'm currently learning Russian and Japanese on my own. Learning French definitely helped me to learn other languages."

The French Honor Society is an organization founded to promote the study of the French language and  high overall academic standards. Students must have an A average in French and a B average overal to be eligible.

The group also encourages the exploration of French culture and encourage friendship among French-speaking countries.

Mike also said that learning French has helped learn a lot more than language differences.

"Clearly, the culture is much different than American culture," he said.

Inductee Cole Konrad, a senior, also said he plans to continue studying French; even in college.

"I'm definitely excited to continue learning and using the French language," he said. "The different culture and learning about a foreign country - learning French gives me the ability to communicate with millions of people."

Konrad said he was excited to be accepted into the organization because he is confident that it will help him as he goes off to college. "I was really surprised to be inducted."

Many of the inductees are thrilled at the idea of having a new prestigious academic excellence organization to boast about on their college applications.

"It's good for the students," Miller said. "They should all be really proud of themselves."

Miller said that the students who were inducted into the organization are also enrolled in French Club, which often raises money for special causes.

"Last year we were involved in a 'Sing for Haiti' event which raised more than $1,700 to help a suffering school in Haiti," she said.

Miller, who worked to help the organization to charter in Westlake, said that she wasn't surprised at the fact that 37 students were inducted this first time around. Next, year, though, she said she only expects half the number of inductees.

"This year, we inducted juniors and seniors," she said. "But the seniors of next year are the juniors of this year who have already been inducted.