On Saturday, March 19th, the building was buzzing, as several students and their teachers entertained, taught, fed, and inspired dozens of middle-school students in the International Middle School Language Fair. We are impressed by the hard work, careful organization, and good spirits of everyone involved. Kudos and thanks go to Stephanie Welles, Bob Jenkins, Amanda Lemco, Ruth Bradner, Yoko Eshita, Kristen Macklin, Sharon Meng, and Carlisa Gunter for their leadership and hands-on assistance with every aspect of this complex event.
Deborah Snagg deserves plaudits, as well, for keeping the technology running smoothly in a dozen classrooms and the Auditorium. We are also grateful for the diligence and persistence of Alexis Bartee, Emeline Eisele, and Ellie Maruca, who led a small army of MW students in developing and executing the day’s activities. From the complexities of registration to the music-and-dance talents of the opening-session performers, to the well-run and thoughtfully-orchestrated sessions, to the multi-cultural snacks and lunch, our students and faculty ran a well-oiled machine. It’s always exhilarating to see our students take the lead from us, turning their linguistic and cultural proficiency and passion into leadership, as they teach the next generation of international-language learners. From my perspective, pretty much every aspect of the day went smoothly. I’m confident that the middle-schoolers learned something and had fun at the same time.
Thanks to all for a gratifying revival of a venerable tradition.
Michael White, Department Chair
