Which foreign language do you study? Why did you choose it? Do you think the ability to speak or read a foreign language will help you in the future?

“While I don’t now study a language in school, I am studying Japanese on my own after five years of studying it in school. I think the ability to read and speak another language broadens opportunities, as well as understanding. Cultural context can be tricky, and having a language other than English is one early step to that.” Xavier Flournoy Riverwood International Charter High School
“While I don’t now study a language in school, I am studying Japanese on my own after five years of studying it in school. I think the ability to read and speak another language broadens opportunities, as well as understanding. Cultural context can be tricky, and having a language other than English is one early step to that.”
Xavier Flournoy
Riverwood International
Charter High School
“Throughout middle school and high school, I have taken German. While it was required in previous grades, I have chosen to continue taking it, as I feel it helps in understanding English. I hope the studying German will open opportunities in college for traveling abroad and comprehending other cultures.” Mollie Simon Chamblee Charter High ­School
“Throughout middle school and high school, I have taken German. While it was required in previous grades, I have chosen to continue taking it, as I feel it helps in understanding English. I hope the studying German will open opportunities in college for traveling abroad and comprehending other cultures.”
Mollie Simon
Chamblee Charter High ­School
“I study Spanish because I want to be able to communicate in the business world and on the streets. As America -- and Atlanta specifically -- becomes more bilingual, it will be crucial for everyone to speak the same languages. Also, the Hispanic culture is fascinating to learn about and expose myself to, and I can’t wait to travel and study in Spain and South America!” Margaret Langford, Atlanta Girls’ School
“I study Spanish because I want to be able to communicate in the business world and on the streets. As America — and Atlanta specifically — becomes more bilingual, it will be crucial for everyone to speak the same languages. Also, the Hispanic culture is fascinating to learn about and expose myself to, and I can’t wait to travel and study in Spain and South America!”
Margaret Langford, Atlanta Girls’ School
“I originally picked Latin as my foreign language class in fifth grade because I thought it would help my vocabulary, and I thought I would have the most fun. I also thought it was relatively unique and original. I didn’t know it then, but this was probably the most important and best decision I made while in Lower School. Seven years later, I realize that taking Latin has had a major effect on my life, taking me all the way to the Georgia Governors Honors Program in the summer of 2012, four Junior Classical League conventions and a national convention. It has also given me many of my best friends and relationships. I plan to take Latin in college because of the incredible effect it has had on my life, and I truly enjoy everything about the subject and culture. Taking the language has definitely improved my vocabulary and made me a more articulate person. I know that for many people taking a foreign language is just another class in high school, but for me, my decision changed my life.” Jaclyn Lund, Pace Academy
“I originally picked Latin as my foreign language class in fifth grade because I thought it would help my vocabulary, and I thought I would have the most fun. I also thought it was relatively unique and original.
I didn’t know it then, but this was probably the most important and best decision I made while in Lower School. Seven years later, I realize that taking Latin has had a major effect on my life, taking me all the way to the Georgia Governors Honors Program in the summer of 2012, four Junior Classical League conventions and a national convention. It has also given me many of my best friends and relationships.
I plan to take Latin in college because of the incredible effect it has had on my life, and I truly enjoy everything about the subject and culture. Taking the language has definitely improved my vocabulary and made me a more articulate person. I know that for many people taking a foreign language is just another class in high school, but for me, my decision changed my life.”
Jaclyn Lund, Pace Academy
“I’ve been taking French for five to six years now. … I really want to go to Paris and be able to speak to the people. The French language is so artful.” Elizabeth Lamar Riverwood International Charter High School
“I’ve been taking French for five to six years now. … I really want to go to Paris and be able to speak to the people. The French language is so artful.”
Elizabeth Lamar
Riverwood International
Charter High School
“I have studied Hebrew for three years to connect with my Jewish roots, and I am currently in my fifth year of Spanish. I believe it is important for me to learn Spanish because it is one of the most spoken languages worldwide, and in the future, being bilingual will be very beneficial in my career. As the world becomes more closely connected, it is important to be able to communicate with people whose first language is not English. ” Lauren Rein, The Weber School
“I have studied Hebrew for three years to connect with my Jewish roots, and I am currently in my fifth year of Spanish. I believe it is important for me to learn Spanish because it is one of the most spoken languages worldwide, and in the future, being bilingual will be very beneficial in my career. As the world becomes more closely connected, it is important to be able to communicate with people whose first language is not English. ”
Lauren Rein, The Weber School
“I chose to continue studying German because I had invested so much time into it, and I wanted to master it. I think on a resume, putting “bilingual” is a big plus, but also just through the process it has taken to learn a language, I have learned so much more about myself. Whether the language itself will be useful is hard for me to predict, but learning the language and learning about a new culture has really opened my eyes and made it worth it. ” Kunal Goel, Chamblee Charter High School
“I chose to continue studying German because I had invested so much time into it, and I wanted to master it. I think on a resume, putting “bilingual” is a big plus, but also just through the process it has taken to learn a language, I have learned so much more about myself. Whether the language itself will be useful is hard for me to predict, but learning the language and learning about a new culture has really opened my eyes and made it worth it. ”
Kunal Goel, Chamblee Charter High School
“I study Spanish. Not only does learning a language widen my cultural understanding, but it also opens new doors through which I can communicate with fascinating people. A second language also gives me a competitive edge when finding a job. I especially think that Spanish will become essential in the workplace.” Cailin Kellum, Riverwood International Charter High School
“I study Spanish. Not only does learning a language widen my cultural understanding, but it also opens new doors through which I can communicate with fascinating people. A second language also gives me a competitive edge when finding a job. I especially think that Spanish will become essential in the workplace.”
Cailin Kellum, Riverwood International Charter High School
“I study French, because my family has an interesting history with the country and the language. Two generations ago, my grandfather and his family hosted a foreign exchange student from France, and ever since our families have kept in touch. Last summer I had the amazing experience to visit France on my own, and I stayed with this same French family. Understanding French and being in France, one can be exposed to so much culture. As an added bonus, it is true what they say; learning one foreign language makes it immeasurably simpler to learn another language. After not having a Spanish class since elementary school, as a high school senior I clearly understand many basic sentences in Spanish with little to no guidance. It is as if there have been many doors opened up to me, and I can follow many into my future. Learning a language is an amazing experience that I would encourage anyone who can to pursue.” Joseph Martin Mount Vernon Presbyterian School
“I study French, because my family has an interesting history with the country and the language. Two generations ago, my grandfather and his family hosted a foreign exchange student from France, and ever since our families have kept in touch. Last summer I had the amazing experience to visit France on my own, and I stayed with this same French family.
Understanding French and being in France, one can be exposed to so much culture. As an added bonus, it is true what they say; learning one foreign language makes it immeasurably simpler to learn another language. After not having a Spanish class since elementary school, as a high school senior I clearly understand many basic sentences in Spanish with little to no guidance. It is as if there have been many doors opened up to me, and I can follow many into my future. Learning a language is an amazing experience that I would encourage anyone who can to pursue.”
Joseph Martin
Mount Vernon Presbyterian School
“I study Spanish because I think it is a beautiful language and I love listening to people speak it. I believe the ability to speak another language connects people to each other, and makes the world a smaller place. It also creates opportunities that might not have been available before.” Phoebe Jones Riverwood International Charter High School
“I study Spanish because I think it is a beautiful language and I love listening to people speak it. I believe the ability to speak another language connects people to each other, and makes the world a smaller place. It also creates opportunities that might not have been available before.”
Phoebe Jones
Riverwood International
Charter High School
“I study French, because its unique in that it’s not very common in America, but it’s available in a lot of other countries. I think it will help me in a possible job later on, and in meeting new people and being able to communicate.” John Rhodes, The Westminster Schools
“I study French, because its unique in that it’s not very common in America, but it’s available in a lot of other countries. I think it will help me in a possible job later on, and in meeting new people and being able to communicate.”
John Rhodes, The Westminster Schools
“I’ve been taking Spanish since 1st grade, so I stuck with it. I want to study abroad in college, so if I know another language, like Spanish, that really expands my options.” Grant Knoechel Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School
“I’ve been taking Spanish since 1st grade, so I stuck with it. I want to study abroad in college, so if I know another language, like Spanish, that really expands my options.”
Grant Knoechel
Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School
“I take Latin. I chose Latin because I thought it was similar to Greek, because I already speak Greek fluently. I thought it would help me with reading and understanding words.” George Gavalas Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School
“I take Latin. I chose Latin because I thought it was similar to Greek, because I already speak Greek fluently. I thought it would help me with reading and understanding words.”
George Gavalas
Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School
“I do study a foreign language – two actually, German and Spanish. German I was born with (I lived in Germany for seven years) and my school allowed me to continue German from primary to high school. I picked up Spanish in the eighth grade as a choice; I was allowed to either continue Latin or pick Spanish or French. I believe that foreign languages are important because they can help people communicate and immerse themselves in new cultures.” Felipa Schmidt Atlanta International School
“I do study a foreign language – two actually, German and Spanish. German I was born with (I lived in Germany for seven years) and my school allowed me to continue German from primary to high school. I picked up Spanish in the eighth grade as a choice; I was allowed to either continue Latin or pick Spanish or French. I believe that foreign languages are important because they can help people communicate and immerse themselves in new cultures.”
Felipa Schmidt
Atlanta International School
“I take Latin. I’m really interested in Italian culture. I’ve been looking into study abroad programs and some of the requirements are learning Latin and Italian.” Dionna Green North Springs Charter High School
“I take Latin. I’m really interested in Italian culture. I’ve been looking into study abroad programs and some of the requirements are learning Latin and Italian.”
Dionna Green
North Springs Charter High School
“I take French 3. I went to Paris this summer and it really helped me understand what was going on and respect their culture more.” Charlotte Spaeth, Riverwood International Charter High School
“I take French 3. I went to Paris this summer and it really helped me understand what was going on and respect their culture more.”
Charlotte Spaeth, Riverwood International Charter High School
“I study Spanish. I have been studying the language for the past seven years. I chose Spanish because it is a common language spoken in the United States and in the world. In the future, I am very interested in international journalism, and because so many countries in the world are Spanish-speaking, I believe that it could enhance my personal relationships.” Ane Wanliss Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School
“I study Spanish. I have been studying the language for the past seven years. I chose Spanish because it is a common language spoken in the United States and in the world. In the future, I am very interested in international journalism, and because so many countries in the world are Spanish-speaking, I believe that it could enhance my personal relationships.”
Ane Wanliss
Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School
“My language of study in school is Mandarin Chinese. I chose to study Chinese because I have always been interested in Chinese culture and the language itself. Mandarin is such a unique language, and I’ve always known that I wanted to explore more into Chinese culture, ever since I went to China for the first time when I was 6 years old. In my opinion, Chinese is such a valuable language to learn because of China’s recent rise in world stature. We have so many more opportunities to interact with China now, and we will have even more in the future. So, I think learning Chinese is becoming one of the most useful languages to know.” Aggie Fricke, Lovett School
“My language of study in school is Mandarin Chinese. I chose to study Chinese because I have always been interested in Chinese culture and the language itself. Mandarin is such a unique language, and I’ve always known that I wanted to explore more into Chinese culture, ever since I went to China for the first time when I was 6 years old. In my opinion, Chinese is such a valuable language to learn because of China’s recent rise in world stature. We have so many more opportunities to interact with China now, and we will have even more in the future. So, I think learning Chinese is becoming one of the most useful languages to know.”
Aggie Fricke, Lovett School