Learning a language is a commitment for any individual looking to become bilingual or multilingual, but for North Allegheny students, the path of study is carefully mapped out. In just seventh grade, middle schoolers choose two of the four languages taught at North Allegheny to explore. Soon thereafter they must decide to continue with whichever language clicks.
Once language courses become optional in high school, the numbers tend to dwindle. In Spanish, Latin, French, and German, only a small number of students stick with their language through senior year.
Students have diverse motivations for choosing to study a language, whether it simply appealed to them most, they have bilingual family members, or they have a trip planned in a foreign country.
While attaining fluency in any language takes patience and a concerted effort, once acquired it reaps inestimable benefits. For instance, it can open doors to a variety of careers, aids cognitive function, and is particularly convenient while traveling in foreign countries.
Senior Gabbi Stegeman, an AP French student and member of the French Honor Society, recalls how she felt when she first began her studies.
“My dad is from Vancouver and grew up speaking Canadian French, so it made sense for me to take French to have the ability to talk with him in his native language,” she said. “I ended up staying with it because I enjoy it.”
Although she hadn’t expected to go this far with French, Stegeman is grateful that she decided to continue. Her understanding of French has allowed her to connect with her heritage and see her dad in a different light.
Senior Riddhima Singh has learned more than just a language from her time in German.
“I started learning German because it has a nice ring to it, but I continued to take it because it taught me something new about its language and culture each time,” she said, demonstrating that the language classes at NASH are careful not to neglect the cultural side of learning.
Singh hopes to extend her learning of German beyond NASH and even plans to put her knowledge into action.
“I will probably take German classes in college, too, because I hope to study abroad in Germany or a German-speaking country for a while,” she said.
Ian Schoedel, a senior, took Spanish for its social aspect.
“I love speaking with friends and native speakers. It’s nice not having a communication barrier whenever I talk to them,” he said.
Latin, a unique and ancient language, holds a practical purpose for many students who wish to go into fields relating to science. Senior Julia Jordan has found that Latin will have immense utility in the degree she will pursue in college.
“I originally thought I wanted to do something medical and that knowing Latin would help me be able to define medical terms more easily,” she said. “But now I do it because it will help me in the biology field.”
North Allegheny has a host of bilingual and multilingual students, as well as worldly language teachers. The act of acquiring proficiency in any language remains an invaluable skill that not only bolsters your resume but can lead to new opportunities.
