The French-English Dual Language Program in New York City Public Schools Kicks-off its Fundraising Campaign on December 5th
New York, November 25, 2013- On December 5, 2013, the French Dual Language Program, an initiative of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and FACE (French American Cultural Exchange), will launch its five year fundraising campaign and crowd-funding platform. The kick-off event for this campaign will be held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York, and will be hosted by Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy. Founded in 2007, the Dual Language Program brings bilingual education to students from kindergarten to middle school and serves over 1,000 students in New York City at eight schools in Manhattan and Brooklyn. These unique classes use both French and English in the classroom for general studies. They offer a multicultural atmosphere and an exceptional learning environment. The program began with a grass-roots parent initiative and thanks to the dynamism and energy of Fabrice Jaumont, Education Attaché of the Embassy, now has a 28 person advisory committee. Today, there are 22,000 francophone children in New York alone and only 3,000 have access to a bilingual education. In order to increase the number of students benefiting from the Dual Language Program, the French Embassy and FACE’s fundraising campaign aims to raise $600,000 in the first year and $2.8 million over 5 years. The goal of the campaign is twofold: it will create a seamless French Dual Language Program from kindergarten through 12th Grade and will bring this worthy program to underserved areas with large francophone populations such as the South Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn. Funding will also be used for grants for teacher training programs and will ensure the steady flow of necessary educational materials for existing classes. “I strongly believe in the advantages of learning other languages – particularly for children at a young age – in a world that is increasingly interconnected, said Antonin Baudry. This is why the Embassy is strongly committed to supporting French-English bilingual education for the benefit of all children. The French Bilingual Revolution is underway!” “Great ideas emanate from visionary men, and Fabrice Jaumont is one of them. It is a true privilege for FACE to partner with the Dual Language Program, a vital tool for one of the largest francophile community in the world”, stated Adrien Meyer, chairman of FACE. Over 220 millions people in approximately 50 countries around the world speak French. In 2050, this number will grow to 715 millions. Being bilingual is an undeniable advantage in today’s increasingly globalized world. Bilingual students score higher on standardized tests and demonstrate advanced aptitude in mathematics and problem-solving areas. The study of two languages has been found to increase creativity and cultural awareness, making it an invaluable asset for our multicultural society.
New York City Participating Schools
BrooklynPS 58 – The Carroll School – Grades: K-5PS 133 – The William A. Butler School – Grades: pre K-2PS 110 – The Monitor School – Grades: K-2PS20 – Clinton Hill School – Grades: KMS 51 – William Alexander Middle School – Grade: 6
ManhattanPS 84 – The Lillian Weber School – Grades: K-5New York French American Charter School – Grades: K-5MS 256 – Academic and Athletic Excellence School – Grade: 6
ABOUT
The Cultural Services of the French Embassy provides a platform and resources for cultural exchange between French and American artists, intellectuals, curators, and arts professionals. Based in New York City, Washington D.C., and eight other cities across the US, the Cultural Services’ principal fields of action are the arts, literature, cinema, French language programs and higher education.FACE (French American Cultural Exchange) is a nonprofit organization, chartered by the state of New York. FACE is dedicated to nurturing French-American relations through innovative international projects in the arts, education, and cultural exchange. FACE serves an extensive network of patrons through its film-based programs and provides support to various initiatives through its partnership with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.
PRESS CONTACT
Emilie Cabouat-Peyrache, Press Attaché
Email: emilie.cabouat@diplomatie.gouv.frTel: 212-439-1417