Teaching students life-long skills about community and culture, and encouraging them to utilize what they have learned for the rest of their lives is the World Language department’s goal. 

Students start their world language journey as early as middle school where the classes line up with the high school curriculum, so students can continue working at their own skill level. While a year of world language is required, students can work throughout all years to earn a Seal of Biliteracy. This certificate proves that a student is bilingual and can be used for the rest of their life. 

As French and Italian class sizes have diminished, the world language department has become mainly the Spanish department; however, in recent years, other languages started being offered as an online course using Rosetta Stone such as sign language. 

“The great thing about Rosetta is that you can take any language you want,” said Luddy. 

She stated that some students now take Arabic, French, German, and Russian. A new American Sign Language class has also been introduced to the Department. 

Loren Luddy has been teaching in the department since the school’s opening in 2001, and became the department chair in 2007. Luddy expresses how her favorite part of being department chair is the caring environment and collaboration. 

“I have a wonderful department, we all work very well together. We share all of our work, our activities, and our ideas,” said Luddy. “Everybody in the department is hard-working and has great world experiences.”

There is always something to look out for in this lively department, so make sure to look out for any events that seem interesting to you. Some upcoming events in the department are the World Language Honors Society Induction, a trip to the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, and a trip to Costa Rica.