Last night was another big win for the Bilingual Revolution, which continues to sweep through New York City and the United States at large. Taking the stage at the French Embassy this Tuesday were three educators who were honored for their efforts in spreading the revolution to their schools. 

Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, presented Anna Amato, Heather Foster-Mann, and Lena Johnson-Barbera with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, one of the highest honors an educator can receive, directly from the French government. Notably, all three educators are principals in Brooklyn, which has long been the hub for Bilingual Revolution, for many, its very home.

Amato, the principal of P.S. 110 was presented with quite the challenge when an eager group of parents approached her one April, wanting to launch a bilingual program at the school by September. Amato accepted the challenge, and five years later boasts of a school with burgeoning Spanish, French, Polish, and Japanese programs. German and Chinese programs are launching this September. Her award that evening, along with her previous receipt of the Cannes Fellowship are both well-deserved. Amato sits at the forefront of one of the most bilingual schools in all of New York City. 

Foster-Mann, principal of P.S. 133 was born in Jamaica. She is also a recipient of the Cannes Fellowship award, as well as recognized by the Embassy of Spain for her work as an educator promoting the Spanish language at her school: “Coming from Jamaica, I’m an advocate for immigrant children in general.. some of my children come from France not speaking much English, and it’s incredible how quickly they get it.”

Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur noted the number of times that American parents approach her to start programs in their local schools, emphasizing the importance of the initial interaction between the parents and the principals. Anna Cano Amato attested to this in a conversation after the ceremony: “My first language was Spanish. All of our staff is bilingual, so it’s important that we begin (our programs) with committed parents who understand the importance of bilingual education.” 

An interaction like this also inspired Lena Johnson-Barbera’s kindergarten dual language program at P.S. 20 in 2013, the first of its kind, after a parent approached her with the desire to start one. Born and raised in Brooklyn, she recognized the educational and cultural benefits of such a program, which encouraged her to push through the fear of tackling something at the time very foreign and with a very steep learning curve. This inspired her to work with the parents and teachers to best allocate her resources and achieve bilingual success at her school: “If you put people where they’re happy, and you have them doing what they love, then they do that really well, which is what I realized when I took into account my 4th grade teacher’s French language skills and had her be our first French teacher.” 

All three honorees emphasized the personal sacrifices that come along with being a principal in such a rigorous environment. Oftentimes, their own children go without parents: Lena thanked her family for sometimes having to “make their own meals.” 

If this is what the future of New York City schools looks like, one can only imagine the diversity of tongues on the subway in 20 years.

----

FR

Why New York?  

I fell in love with New York the first time I came here. It was 10 years ago. The start-up I worked for in Paris sent me to New York for a few days to meet face to face with our US clients. It was love at first sight! A few back-and-forth trips later and a good negotiation with my boss, my company moved me to the subsidiary in New York. In March 2012, my New York adventure started.

FR

Je suis tombée amoureuse de New York lors de mon premier séjour ici il y a 10 ans. La start-up pour laquelle je travaillais à Paris m’avait envoyée rencontrer les clients américains. Ca a été le coup de foudre ! Après plusieurs aller-retours et une négociation avec mon boss, j’ai été mutée en Mars 2012 dans la filiale. L’aventure new-yorkaise pouvait commencer.

What inspired you to start New York Off Road? 

When you move to New York from France, the first two years you actually turn into a tour guide for the friends and family who come to visit. I really enjoyed showing them my favorite places, and I realized that people actually love to hear stories of how we live in the United States compared to France. To be a tour guide in New York, you have to take an exam at the Department of Customer Affairs, so I studied for a few months and I passed it! New York Off Road was born.

FR

Lorsque tu emménages à New York, tu passes les deux premières années à jouer le guide touristique pour les amis et la famille qui viennent te rendre visite. Je me suis rendue compte que j’adorais faire découvrir mes coup de coeurs et j’ai surtout réalisé que les gens aimaient m’entendre raconter mon experience new yorkaise. Pour être guide touristique à New York, il faut passer un examen, je l'ai préparé et obtenu. New York Off Road est né.

What differentiates it from other tours in New York? 

New York Off Road grew from the desire to offer a new kind of tourism, one that would urge French tourists to see the city under a different light through unique, custom and authentic tours. So we bring people to the areas we love such as Greenwich Village, Soho, MeatPacking District, the Highline, Chinatown, Harlem -- in Manhattan --- as well as some in Brooklyn, like Bushwick, Williamsburg, Red Hook and soon other boroughs!

By offering something different from mass tourism circuits, the goal is to help the visitor enjoy a unique authentic experience through personalized and tailored tours in small groups that foster rich discussions.

FR

New York Off Road est née de la volonté de mettre en avant une nouvelle façon d’aborder le tourisme. Il s’agit de donner envie aux touristes francophones, de regarder la ville différemment à travers des visites insolites, personnalisées et authentiques.

Nous emmenons les curieux dans nos coins préférés, à Greenwich Village, Soho, MeatPacking District, la Highline, Chinatown, Harlem, pour n'en citer que quelques uns. Mais aussi à Brooklyn, avec Bushwick, Williamsburg, Red Hook et bientôt d’autres quartiers !

L’idée est d'éveiller la curiosité des visiteurs, de s’éloigner des circuits touristiques de masse et de vivre une expérience humaine unique avec des visites en groupe restreint, personnalisées et adaptées à tous, en favorisant ainsi l’échange.

What superpower do you wish you had, and why? 

I would love to be able to duplicate myself sometimes ;) I am such a hyperactive person, and I want to achieve so much in such a short period of time! I want to develop new tours, find new partners, and actually do the tours while taking care of my boyfriend. Way too much for a single human being. So I’m thinking that being Super Woman would be pretty cool and useful!

FR

J’adorerai pouvoir me dupliquer parfois ;) Je suis un peu hyperactive et j’ai toujours envie d’en faire plus et toujours plus rapidement. Développer de nouvelles visites, trouver des nouveaux partenaires, guider pendant les visites tout en m’occupant de mon petit ami. Un peu trop pour une seule personne. Devenir Super Woman pourrait être pratique pour moi !

Aside from developing more tours, what are your future goals for New York Off Road? 

I am working on developing new services aside from the tours that would help the tourists to better experience New York by enhancing their stay. I’m still working on how it would look like but I’m pretty confident that we could help the people more before and during their trip.

FR

Je travaille sur de nouveaux services à coté des visites qui permettraient aux visiteurs de passer un meilleur séjour à New York. Je suis en plein réflexion sur la façon de le proposer mais je suis persuadée que nous pourrions encore plus aider les gens pendant leur voyage.

What is your average day like? 

My time is split between actually leading the tours, which I still do even though I can now rely on 2 adorable French guides that I have trained myself, and looking for new hidden places to show people. It’s also spent replying to emails from people willing to travel to New York, looking for new opportunities with partners, and working on the website and social media, among other things.  

FR

Mon temps est partagé entre guider pendant les visites, même si maintenant je suis entourée de 2 supers guides francophones que j’ai formées, qui font elles aussi des visites, trouver des nouveaux endroits insolites à montrer, répondre aux emails des prochains visiteurs à New York, et chercher de nouvelles opportunités, des nouveaux partenaires, les réseaux sociaux, site internet…

Connect with Elise and New York Off Road: 

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Youtube

Maud Heline is her name and that of her brand, which she purposefully named so to make her company an extension of herself --- of her past and future, which included working at extensive design houses in Paris and which she now promulgates as a pioneer of French fashion in New York. She's no amateur in the world of fashion, but despite this being her first time as an entrepreneur, in just over a year after her launch, Maud boasts of a growing line, present internationally from Lebanon to Japan.

Read on to learn about her life as a designer, entrepreneur, and mom: 

Why New York?  

Because of Love, Creativity and Energy. Love because I moved here 3 years to join my husband who's been living here for a while. Creativity because I really believe this city is where any creative can fully express itself and energy... well... you know why!

On top of that, I've always had a connection with the US, as I had been coming to California every summer for a month during my adolescence. I also studied fashion at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, a city that I love --  and at the time, a city that I always promised myself I would come back to. 

How would you compare the fashion industry climates between Paris and New York? 

Paris is "La Mode" and "La Mode" is Paris and it has been the case since the XVth century when the Royal French court created the word. Fashion is everywhere in Paris, every Parisian woman has a style and would take good care of her looks. It is in their genes. But the weight of this historical responsibility makes it harder to start a new venture there. New York is amazing for young designers, we've already seen some NY based names becoming internationally acclaimed in the last decade, and I would not be surprised if it became the new capital of fashion.

What inspired you to start Maud Heline? 

Becoming a mother certainly gave me the strength to realize my dream, which was to create my own line. I always envisioned it to be elegant and timeless while being modern and crisp. Working closely with Isabel Marant, I learned from her to try on every single piece and not to produce it if I wouldn't buy it for myself.

Being in Brooklyn also gave me the freedom of creativity. I chose to produce everything in New York, as I want to very closely control every single step of the production process to ensure the best quality. 

Who has been your biggest motivator, and why? 

My husband Carl believed so much in my fashion point of view that he pushed me to do what I love, to listen to my little voice and to start creating. He gave me the freedom to try and not to live with regrets. One of his mottos is "Happy wife, Happy life." 

What is your average day like? 

My pleasure in the morning is to dress up my daughter and take the time to have a family breakfast. I then drop her off at the day care and walk to my studio in Brooklyn . Becoming an entrepreneur changed my life, and I feel free. I am where I am supposed to be. But we are still a very small company, and it takes a lot to build, despite a very successful start. I often have to work in the evening once my daughter is in bed.

What are your next goals for the brand? Is a children’s line in the future? 

If I had to create a second line, it would first be men's wear, except if my current women clients are asking for a children's line. I have the chance to be in direct contact with them, as I personally take care of the online orders on our e-shop. The next goals is to solidify the company structure and to enlarge the team to divide my workload and get other savoir faire. Being well surrounded is extremely important.

Where can we get your pieces?   

On our e-shop where there are all the pieces.

In the US, you can find the collections at Barneys New York and in 10 Barneys across the US (Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco ...), Goop online, at Serenella Boston, Capitol in Charlotte, Canary in Dallas 

In Paris, the collection has been distributed at Colette since its first season, and Summer '16 will be sold at L'exception.

We are in Tomorrowland, Japan, in Trois Pommes, Switzerland, Bacci's, Vancouver Canada, Aishti in Lebanon. 

...

For More of Maud Heline:  Instagram ***  Facebook *** Website

New York is an artistic mecca, at the crossroads of music and film, among other expressions, but that does not mean that all the gaps are filled. Upon her visit to New York City as a teenager, Roxane Revon realized that there weren’t many options for her to pursue her passion for French theater, so what did she do? Created L’Atelier Théâtre, a space for children and adults, francophone or not, to pursue their dreams of being on stage, with a French twist. 

Why New York?  I wanted to work in an anglophone country, especially in the US where I did an internship in a set design company when I was 16 years old. When my boyfriend got an opportunity to work in NYC, we decided to come live here. The French community is quite big in NYC, which is why I started to work on francophone theater.

What do you attribute to your success?
The success of the Atelier Theatre is attributed to the fact that it provides not only French drama classes, but also a convivial atmosphere for people to meet and share the same language (and sometime common interests). Promotion through word-of-mouth has worked very well because we also offer our participants the opportunity to perform in a real NYC off-off Broadway theater for 1 or 2 weeks.

What inspired you to start L’Atelier Théâtre?
When I directed "Huis Clos/No Exit" by Sartre, I saw that an audience in NYC was ready to come and see smaller theater productions (versus the FIAF ones) in French with English subtitles. Furthermore, friends of mine and people in the audience started telling me that they tried some theater workshops in English but that they had less fun than in their previous “atelier” experiences in France or Belgium. It was difficult for the to improvise in a foreign language and very few workshops aimed to produce a play at the end of the sessions. So, with 7 first participants, I started my first French drama workshop based on the performance of a play ( "L'Hotel du libre échange/Hotel Paradiso" by Feydeau) at the end of the session, in May 2013.

What differentiates it from other similar programs in New York? 
There are very few structures that provide drama workshops in French like us. We also produce real shows at the end of the sessions at the 4th Street Theater (a nice old 70 seats theater in the East Village), and we choose a different author or theme each year (Don Juan in 2014, Molière in 2015, Feydeau in 2016). I think we are the only NYC non-profit organization to provide that for both adults and children. This year for instance, from May 18th to 22nd, our adult workshops will present 6 performances of 2 Feydeau's play ("Le Dindon"/"La Dame de chez Maxim), and our kids' workshop will perform an adapted play "Les Filles de M. Mathieu".

What is your average day like?
 It depends on the day because on Tuesdays and Thursdays I teach drama all day at CUNY University, and on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, I teach at L'Atelier Theatre. I try to keep a routine. I wake up at around 7:30/8am; I write some ideas or texts for 1 hour max, and then my day starts at around 9.30am with admin, emails or teaching. Because I'm also starting a Phd, I try to separate some time every day to read or write.

What are your next goals for the théatre?  
I'd like for l'Atelier Theatre to provide more workshops for kids or to have more interactions with schools. Furthermore, with my associate Laura Lassy, we'd like to be a small bridge between francophone theater and NYC and invite or produce professional plays (but we'll need some grants in order to do so). 

How is it different working with children and adults? 
The development and the timing of the workshop is different, but the preparation needs are the same. For children, I need to find a balance between concentration and excitement. I develop their concentration by first focusing on games and scenes that they might like, making them imagine, at each session, what their experience will be on stage in May. Then, even if I plan to work on certain scenes, I adapt the work to what they suggest as well, by way they act and embody their characters. For adults, we can go further regarding precise directing cues. We push them to find different colorations for their characters, so they can experience, the practice of acting as much as possible. 

More information on L’Atelier Theatre: 

 

Website: www.ateliertheatreny.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ateliertheatreny/

VideosHuis Clos — Roxane’s first professional play in NYC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3JEpiaER-w

Over 800 attendees congregated at the Second Annual Bilingual fair, hosted by French Morning, bringing people from all over the New York State paying tribute to the flowering state of bilingual education in New York. 

Intermediary learning methods were also represented, like that of China Sprout, which is targeted mainly at children of Americans who wish to supplement their school and after-school learning of the Mandarin language. Founder Xiaoning Wang emphasizes the need for more Chinese dual language programs in public schools that will allow children to partake in other activities on the weekends that were primarily dedicated to learning Chinese in traditional language learning settings. 

 

Xiaoning Wang, China Sprout 

Ilaria Costa, Italian American Committee on Education

Ilaria Costa, Executive Director of the Italian American Committee on Education, heads the non-profit organization aiming to promote the learning of Italian in public schools. Aside from their own programs, the Committee helps to fund dual language programs. Licia, however, maintains that it is the parents who need to come to her expressing the need in order to be assisted, again, promoting the importance of starting these programs in a grassroots environment. 

 

The Bilingual Revolution is gaining momentum. Most recently, on March 20^, 2015, the International Day of La Francophonie, The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) and Education en Français à New York (EFNY) launched the “Adopt a School” initiative. The initiative, which aims to support the spread of free, French bilingual education calls all of the Permanent Missions or Consulates of French-speaking countries to parrainer une école, sponsor a New York City public school that has a French-English dual language or serves French heritage language students. This will provide the school in question with anything from cultural and literary events to financial support and book donations.

Education Attaché Fabrice Jaumont says of the support:

‘When a group of Ambassadors join forces to support French bilingual education in NYC schools it sends a strong message that French is well alive in the city, and that New York's 22,000 French-speaking children have strong supporters'

Picture: Ambassador Paul-Robert Tiendrebeogo, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, and Dr. Fabrice Jaumont

This initiative is true to the mission of OIF, which is to promote the protection of linguistic and cultural diversity in all francophone regions. Their global initiatives certainly call for local partners like EFNY, which is a not-for-profit organization started and run by parent volunteers to promote French language education in NYC.

Picture: EFNY President, Talcott Camp receiving the Prix de la Diversite Culturelle from the hands of Ambassador Plasai, of Thailand, on March 20, 2015

The global support at a local level emphasizes the importance of global solidarity to the preservation of a heritage. According to the 2014 Report on the French language, there are about 274 million French speakers worldwide.

Through initiatives like these and the rampant support from various sectors, the child that was born in Brooklyn in 2007 with one classroom and 24 children rapidly evolves into a strong and influential adult. 

Click on the links below to download the Adopt a School press release

Press Release Adopt a School

Communique de presse Parrainer une ecole

Nathalie Charles, Program Officer for the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York currently directs the Films on the Green Festival, an annual summer film festival that features free French films throughout various NYC parks. The festival is a rampant success - for many, it is a distinctive component of their summers in New York City – the perfect bridge of French culture and American society.

Since 2008, when Nathalie became the Officer for Films on the Green, the festival has expanded long beyond the cozy community gardens of the East Village and Morningside Heights. The Festival now takes place in over 5 parks in New York City, including an opening screening in Central Park, which then moves on to Washington Square and on to the other areas of the City.

Films on the Green on the Steps of the Columbia University Library

Films on the Green is a model for the adapted versions which have now sprung, including some expected festivals in Boston, Miami, Burlington Vt., and Washington DC.

The success of Films on the Green is largely due to the undivided commitment of Nathalie Charles to organically expand the festival to its full potential. It’s just in her nature to continue developing what she establishes – as a 14 year old, Nathalie first came to the United States to Mississippi on a family trip, and then again at 17 through an exchange program. She fell in love with the country, repeatedly seeking and successfully securing opportunities to return - first through volunteer opportunities, and after completing her degree in Arts Administration, returning to work for the Délégation Générale des Alliances Françaises in Washington DC.

With experience in various film-related jobs, including working events at the Cannes Film Festival, Nathalie couldn’t be a better fit for Films on the Green. Without a doubt, New York is very fortunate to have her. Next up: an international Films on the Green?

There couldn’t have been a better setting to launch a book about Africa, than at the Skoto Gallery in Chelsea, where amid the unique art pieces that can only be found there and in Africa itself - a lovely gathering celebrated the literary achievements of a dynamic couple.

Supported by his wife, Diane Chehab, Epée Ellong set out to explore the deep meaning behind the common architectural themes throughout Africa. Their book, De La Case a La Villa (From Hut to Modern Home), investigates the evolution of African housing, through a dialogic lens between ‘us’ (modernity) and pre-colonial African architecture (tradition). The very evolution of architecture addresses the poignant societal shifts in African history. Despite the artificial barriers, however, the universality of architectural design speaks to the unity of humanity –Epée emphasizes the human as the center of the book.

Despite the many questions that are raised, however, Epée recognizes the relativism of the questions addressed: “I'm not an old man with all the answers; these are just questions left unanswered that our children may have answers to in the future.”

As architects themselves, Diane and Epée couldn’t be in a better position to explore such dynamic themes: they met while they were both students at Beaux Arts à Paris, later moving to Cameroon where they ran an architectural firm for many years. This exposure led them both to a deep analysis of African architecture, particularly focusing on the contradictory social and technical impact on the art.

Perhaps the most beautiful thing about the book is the team that created it – their mutual passion for the subject is evident, and only furthers their credibility as individuals with the knowledge and the heart to uncover questions of humanity through architecture.

Close friend of the couple, Donna Watson Haynes, emphasized the collaborative and empathetic nature of their success:  “I admit, I was only half way listening when Diane's husband spoke and she translated. I was transfixed on her calm loving spirit standing next to her man, listening to his words and calmly translating – side by side – he had a personable, gracious pride when he talked... His words felt like outstretched hands; their book is touching the world.”

For more information on Diane's blog on African topics click here: www.AwayFromAfrica.com

To learn more about the project, and to purchase a copy of the book, which is soon to be published in English - click here, and in French, here. 

Most people can’t say that they had their 5^th grade graduation take place at an Embassy. The students of PS58, PS84, and the New York French-American Charter School are some of the lucky few that can say they did.

On Monday, June 16^th, 2014, over 100 children filled the auditorium of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy that is usually meant for diplomatic and cultural events. The children filled the building with energy and good spirits, as the three schools celebrated what is certainly to be a continuation of six successful years of dual language education.

The success is evident – in the faces of the parents – and in the way that the children were conducted to sing songs, recite speeches, and express their gratitude in both French and English.

The faculty and administration lauded their achievements, proudly encouraging them with words of advice, and factual evidence of the benefits of their bilingual education: at the moment, French is the 2^ndmost widely spoken language in the world with over 750 million francophones in the world to date. It is the only language, other than English, that is spoken in 5 continents around the world. By the time these graduates are 40, French is to be the most widely spoken language in the world.

Linnea Stenborg with Daughter Tammy from PS58

These statistics no longer make bilingual education seem like something extraordinary and superfluous – in fact, in the increasingly globalized climate that continues to unite humanity, commonality of language is crucial.

The desire is there: as she addressed her peers, a student from PS84 expressed her aspiration to learn several other languages. Seeing the cross-functional benefits, parents whose children are enrolled in the program are even more supportive of their bilingualism. Sokhna Khady Mbacke, Senegalese mother of graduating twins, claims, ‘my children speak French with me at home. Being in the NYFACS bilingual program not only bettered their French, but also their English and their overall cultural understanding of the world.”

Mother Sokhna Khady Mbacke with Graduating Sons

In 30 years, when French is the most widely spoken language in the world, the 5^th graders who were not fortunate enough to have a bilingual education are certainly disadvantaged. The truth is that funds and resources can and should be allocated to bridge this educational gap. It is up to administrations, faculty, and parents to make a valuable difference in the future of education.

To learn more about Dual Language programs in New York City and how you can contribute to the Bilingual Revolution, click here.

  Philomena St-jean with daughters Ryann and Ryleigh                                                                                                                                                                from NYFACS

Dual language programs are contagious- they're catching fire all over the country, specifically in New Jersey where in Englewood Cliffs, Robert L. Kravitz, superintendent of schools, is making transformative change to the monolingual teaching environment that he stepped into just two years ago.

If one walks through the halls of the Pre-K to second grade North Cliff School, one is surprised to hear not only French being spoken, but also Italian and Spanish – the three choices that parents have for their young children.  These 210 children are the first to be receiving a public ‘tri-lingual’ education in the entire state.

The school is divided into three classes for each grade – one for each of the three languages offered. All classes but Math and Language Arts are in French, increasing the level of proficiency as the years go on.

Most of the children are already bilingual – 50% of the school is made up of Korean-American children, many of them who are at least conversational in Korean. The school promotes their trilingualism, which is only encouraged by their parents, most of whom learned French, Italian, or Spanish in school as well. Sometimes, however, the children are the ones who end up teaching the parents: Kravitz recalls an instance when a child began singing a French carol during Christmas time and having her parent ecstatically email him about it the next day. While on vacation to francophone, hispanophone, or italophone countries, parents are eager to have their children translate for them.  

The school’s success as bilingual school is directly attributed to the superintendent’s unwavering dedication to multiculturalism. As an American married to a French woman, bilingualism is life for his three children. Recognizing the benefit for them, he wished nothing less for his students in Englewood Cliffs. Robert Kravitz began his career with a business degree, which led him from being the New Jersey distributor of Ben and Jerry’s in to starting his own baked-goods company.

An MBA later, he entered the education system as a business professor. He was able to use his entrepreneurial spirit to turn a school around from a 66% failure rate to a 90% passing rate - in under a year. His business background also lead him to truly allocate resources and funds in the most efficient and effective ways. This story is one that he appropriately calls a Blue Ribbon Story, after being one of the 300 principals to receive the prestigious Blue Ribbon distinction at the school, as one of the top 1/10 of 1% of all schools in the United States.

During his time at the Fort Lee District, despite it being the district with the second lowest cost for pupil it was the one with the highest test rates in the entire country. His resourcefulness is extended at the North Cliff School. Kravitz attributes this to a conscious hiring effort to recruit individuals with multiple talents. For example, instead of hiring a teacher who can teach math and one who can teach French, he hires one who can teach both. This allows instructors the flexibility to be moved around without increasing the overall budget of the school. And by the way, the school is looking for qualified teachers!

Kravitz (right) with the Kindergarten teacher Lizane Nadon (left) and Education Attaché Fabrice Jaumont

Kravitz provides helpful advice for other educators and administrators in his book, ‘Blue Ribbon Story: An Entrepreneur’s Success in Education’, which tells the dynamic story of how an entrepreneur turned around a school, and the business methods that can be implemented to creating a better education system.

The North Cliff School is truly a model for other prospective bilingual public schools in New Jersey and across the country. The next step: turning the entire Englewood Cliffs Public School System into a trilingual International Baccalaureate (I.B.) school system. People are starting to move to Englewood Cliffs because of this bilingual opportunity for their children – If it isn’t already, Kravitz knows that someday, ‘this is going to be an international town.’

To find out more about teaching positions in the school, or to contribute to the bilingual programs, click here.

A ‘petit morceau de France’ ported at the New York harbor in June, not only to commemorate the 70^th Anniversary of D-Day, but also to altruistically transport over 4,000 books that Adiflor, AMOPA (Association des Membres de l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques), and Marine Partage, provided for the New York City public schools.

 REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

On June 6, 2014, the French marine united with the US navy at the foot of the Statue of Liberty to join in solidarity for the 70 years that marked the beginning of the end of the Second World War. The soldiers participated in collaborative naval exercises, in order to enhance the mutual understanding of their respective operations. Communicating in English, these exercises included fueling one another’s ships while sailing 50 meters from one another for three hours.

This collaboration is at the heel of the French-American bond, which permeates through everything from military cooperation to education.

The frigate, La Fayette, was literally the vehicle for bilingual exchange, solidifying the longstanding Franco-American educative initiatives. According to the French Cultural Counselor, Antonin Baudry, this relationship will be extended through our children’s language exchange, appropriately quoting the French author, Émile Zola, "it's by literature, not by the sword, that mankind will overcome falsehood and injustice and attain to the final peace of fraternity among the nations”

La Fayette is contributing to yet another revolution – the Bilingual Revolution that began in 2007 with 24 children enrolled in French-English bilingual instruction in a New York City school. Pioneered by the dedicated Attaché of Education, Fabrice Jaumont, 7 years later, there are over 1000 children ‘on board’ the program.

Child Happily Receives One of His Donated Books at Graduation 

The books donated will also serve the French Heritage Language Program, which seeks to cater to the needs of new francophone immigrants in public schools across the City. Coordinated by Benoît Le Dévédec, the program has served over 3000 children in the U.S. – assisting them in the acquisition of the English language, as well as in the preservation of their French. This is done through robust after-school programs, French classes, and an annual trip to Quebec.

Anna Moine

It is still not enough – during the reception to receive the books, there were over 50 lucky children prancing around the deck of the La Fayette; they represent a small fraction of the over 20,000 francophone children in New York City who should have the opportunity of being a part of the bilingual revolution. Since 2007, 10 schools have opened a French dual language program from Brooklyn to Harlem, and 10 high schools are hosting the French Heritage Language Program; however, it’s going to take many more schools and many more books to truly drive the vehicle to shore.

To join the revolution and to learn about these programs, please visit www.facecouncil.org

There seems to be not a single wall lining the interior of the New York French American Charter School (NYFACS) that isn’t vibrantly colored. This is symbolic of the school’s diversity, which truly represents a microcosm of New York City.

NYFACS was founded in 2010 by extremely passionate parents whose children were enrolled in bilingual (French and English) after-school programs. Wanting to extend the bilingual experience for their children beyond a few hours a day, the parents formed a committee and wrote a proposal for a potential charter school in Harlem. With support from the New York City Department of Education and many partner organizations the charter school was formed. The parents continue to play a key role in the school, evidenced by the three mothers who assisted in the organization of the school’s library. 

Mothers (Chantal Chanel-Vod,Tamara Zouboff, Amandine Courtois) take on the task of reorganizing the school's library 

The school’s formation did not come with few challenges, however: charter schools in general function more independently, but at the expense of some financial support from the government. This sacrifice, however, allows the charter school greater flexibility with scheduling, staffing, and overall function– in many ways, what make the NYFACS unique. But the hard work is not done yet - 5 years following the formation of the school, NYFACS continues to seek creative ways to survive. Given its position as a more independent school comes with a greater need for external support and gladly accepts donations. This year, the school’s charter is renewed, allowing it to continue operating as the first free bilingual French-English charter school in New York. The schools also received the French Government’s Label FrancEducation which recognizes schools offering quality instruction in French around the world. 

NYFACS has two classes per grade, accommodating approximately 250 children from Kindergarten to 5^th grade and awaits confirmation for its first Pre-K class. It prepares for the graduation of its 5^th grade class, most of which will attend dual-language schools in the City.

Awa Sakho who won the French Embassy's summer teacher development scholarship to France,
with Edith Boncompain and Fabrice Jaumont

The principal, Edith Boncompain is the perfect fit for the environment; enthusiastic about all of the students' accomplishments, Boncompain gave us a tour of the school, showing us the Inside Out Group Action Project art installation that the two kindergarten classes worked on in collaboration with the French artist JR. Together, the classes put together a book of their artwork, which will be showcased in public areas of the City.

From the art project's statement, “NYFACS is a melting pot within a melting pot, a New York City public school with over 80 nationalities. This mix is impossible to determine from passing the building and gazing at its stark exterior,” This emphasizes the rich microcosmic diversity of the school. Although the students come from extremely diverse backgrounds, however, they are united by a common goal of furthering bilingual education through a strategic and supportive network of great instructors and believing parents.

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The New York French American Charter School is still accepting online applications for the upcoming year. For more information, click here. 

Here is a link to the NYFACS donation page: http://www.nyfacs.net/donate/

From the outside, PS 133: William A. Butler looks like any other new school building – pristine brick stone- the finest infrastructure. It’s what lies inside the stones and the structure that really holds the school together and that sets it apart.  

The Principal, Heather Foster-Mann is at the forefront of the school’s success. Recently relocated to the new building, Heather has been involved in the New York City education system for over 20 years. As a first generation Jamaican-American, Heather recalled being made fun of because of her accent, inspiring an innate desire to be an advocate for those who are different – be it race, color, or linguistic differences.

This personal desire has certainly manifested itself into her work as principal. The international focus of the school is evident: as one of the most successful Dual Language Program (DLP) schools in New York City, PS 133 is one of the only schools that is open to children of all zones – Heather claims that this is only to preserve the microcosm that is the school as a representation of not only Brooklyn, but of New York City and the world at large.

PS 133 is one of the only schools with the DLP in both French and Spanish, starting at the pre-k level. I was personally amazed to be able to have a fluid conversation with children of that young age in both French and Spanish, about anything from what they were doing that weekend to what they were currently eating for snack time. For most adults, it takes years to get to the level that these young children achieved in just one academic year.

The structure of the class varies depending on the grade: some classes have half-days in French/Spanish, while some have instruction alternating between French or Spanish and English, every two hours. There is no question that whatever is being done though, is certainly working successfully for the over 180 students participating in the DLP.

Our fourth-grade student tour guides, Kimani Ingram and Anaya Gullap are not enrolled in either of the Dual Language Programs, but spoke to their success: students who are enrolled often engage in bilingual conversation among themselves. 

Kindergarten teacher, Sarah Fromentin has a personal connection to all of her students, allowing her to embrace the French-American heritage that she had once wanted to reject as a young student in a monolingual school. Seeing her students connects her to a very beautiful past as a student in their shoes.

This international spirit permeates throughout halls of the school. It’s not only a celebration of French and Spanish, but of all nationalities, which is evident by the faculty that reflects the diversity of the student body.

Mr. Goetz works avidly toward creating a comfortable space for his second-grade students, the first students to ever be a part of the program. He has a special connection with this class, as he once was their Kindergarten teacher as well.  His amiable disposition certainly wins the favor of the children, who listened to his instructions in French for posing for this picture.

The success of PS 133 is one that Heather Foster-Mann humbly states, ‘has nothing to do with me.’ It comes down to three things: 1. Parent support, 2. A willing administration, and 3. Finding the right teacher. She emphasizes that a supportive parent-group is key, repeatedly mentioning Jean-Cosme, whose child is in Mr. Goetz's class, as ‘the face of dual language’ and instrumental in getting the program started at PS 133.  

Ps 133 is certainly a great model for other DLP schools, as well as for those considering initiating the program. The key is, as is heavily engrained in the school’s mission, to have ‘many voices, with one vision’.

By the way, the school is still accepting applications for the 2014/2015 academic year. Native speakers are particularly encouraged to apply. More information here: PS 133 Information

From online dating to social media and virtual instruction, the Internet has exploded as a ubiquitous center of connection – it links people to others with like interests, individuals to their past, and advocates of similar ideas and cultures.

NewYorkinFrench is at the cornerstone of this movement. 2014 marks the 5^th anniversary of the site, boasting a community of over 10,000 members, committed to sustaining and upholding the francophone community in New York City, in the United States, and in the world at large. 

The hub is the epitome of a connecting space. It provides francophiles – francophone or not – with a place to meet, interact, and explore opportunities within the community.

Most remarkably, the network is one with an altruistic purpose. Fabrice Jaumont, founder of the hub, emphasizes that prior to NewYorkinFrench, ‘there was no platform where francophones/francophiles could make new friends, post announcements, events and stories, and read more about other francophones.’ 

Fueled by an unequivocal desire to promote the French language, the network puts bilingual families and fostering bilingual education at the center. The platform has dozens of links for children and adults to facilitate their learning of the French language.

The Ning’s rampant success has inspired the creation of BostoninFrench, which also boasts of an expansive francophone community. This success has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal and France Amérique, among many other international organizations.

The network is unique in that it is free – and free from advertisements, politics, and spam, where the members truly run the platform. It provides writers like myself with an opportunity to express themselves and artists and musicians with an outlet to showcase their work. It is a place for job postings and roommate requests – nanny locators and event information.

Most importantly, it provides francophiles with a community-orientated space within the expansive New York City population. In New York alone, there are over 75,000 francophones, most of which live in New York City, but the extent of the platform is certainly more pervasive- its ‘world-wide-web’ capabilities, being able to reach the estimated 338 million francophones in the world. 

New York City boasts of a vibrant Burkinabé community of 6,000. Among them are students, models, and musicians.

And in spite of the lifestyle differences, the  community certainly knows how to unite in the name of Burkina Faso, where most of them were born.

The Shrine, a music venue in Harlem is a primary point of connection for the community, as it was founded by a friend of the prior Burkinabé president, Thomas Sankara. Ever since, it has been a hub of cultural solidarity in New York – a place for drinks, dances, and political debates.

A now global band, Burkina Electric, is the first electronica band from Burkina Faso, which is an infusion of traditional Burkinabé rhythms with contemporary electronic music. The band has certainly established a large presence throughout the city, with performances at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan, the Lincoln Center, and at Celebrate Brooklyn! in Prospect Park.

In a report by Burkina 24, New York has the largest American diaspora of Burkinabés.  L’Association des Burkinabé à New York represents the community, with over 132 representatives throughout the city. Above all, the report emphasized the eminent solidarity, along with the linguistic, cultural, and educational opportunities that the association aims to promote and continues to cultivate within the community.

In 2008, the Nigerian government's efforts to fund the teaching of French at the basic and tertiary levels solidified the country's desire to make French an official language of the country, along with English. This effort marks a supported undertaking to establish a francophone presence in Nigeria, but the country's geographic proximity to francophone countries called for a pre-existent communication in French. In fact, the country is an associate member of La Francophonie, with approximately 20% of the Nigerian population speaking French fluently. This means that their francophone voices are certainly heard among the francophone diversity in New York City.  

As of 2010, there were approximately 260,000 Nigerian Americans in the U.S., representing the largest African immigrant group in the nation, and the third largest Nigerian community in the world, outside of Nigeria and the United Kingdom. With sizable communities in Maryland and Texas, the vast majority of the Nigerian American population lives in New York City. 

At the acclaimed Buka Nigerian restaurant in Brooklyn

Most recently, on Saturday, October 5th, the Nigerian community in New York paraded through the streets of 2nd Avenue to celebrate the country's 53rd independence anniversary. The parade started in New York in 1991, the largest celebration of its kind by any African nation in the United States.     

The parade is not the only cohesive presence the Nigerian population has in the city. Events like the annual Nigerian Nurses Association banquet, which is a fundraiser and award ceremony at the Elite palace in New York are yearly staples in the community.

The acclaimed Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEA Awards), which were established in New York City on January 2006, serve to showcase the contributions of African entertainers in the industry, aiming to promote a valid image of the culture and the talents of Nigeria that are ever-so prevalent in the metropolitan mosaic that is New York City.

A few official organizations that constitute the Nigerian-American communities include: 

Alliance of Nigerian Organizations, Association of Nigerians Abroad, League of Patriotic Nigerians, Nigeria Insurers Association, Nigerian American Foundation, Nigerian American Multi Service Association, Nigerian Information Technology Professionals, Nigerian International Athletes Association, Nigerian Youth Organization, Nigerians in Diaspora Organization