News release Public Information Office  SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Spring 2004 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 3/31/04   HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HEAD TO SLU FOR ANNUAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE FESTIVAL       HAMMOND -- More than 600 high school students from two dozen public and private high schools in southeast Louisiana will gather at Southeastern Louisiana University April 6 for the university’s 22nd annual Foreign Language Festival.       Students will test their skills in Spanish and French by competing in poetry, prose and extemporaneous speaking categories as well as music and plays. Festival competition will take place in the Southeastern University Center and will conclude with an awards ceremony at 1:30 p.m. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded to individuals, while “Best Overall School” awards will also be presented.        Highlights include the popular talent show at 9 a.m., featuring groups from Archbishop Rummel High School, De La Salle High School, Mount Carmel Academy, and Destrehan High School, and a performance by the Southeastern Gospel Choir.       “The festival has become such a great event for the schools because of the excitement of the competition, but also because they love coming to Southeastern,”said festival director and foreign languages professor Luz Escobar. “Every year we begin receiving phone calls about the festival well before we can even send the invitations to the schools.”       Escobar said approximately 30 Southeastern students, many of them foreign languages majors, will assist with the festival. “This is an invaluable experience for these students who are exposed to the languages they are learning, and have the opportunity to talk with teachers about instruction and the learning process at the high school level, and to pass Southeastern spirit to our guests,” Escobar said. She said six students will also be among the festival’s 30 judges.        Participating schools include Albany High School, Archbishop Chapelle High School, Archbishop Rummel High School, Brother Martin High School, Catholic High School, Central High School, De La Salle High School, Destrehan High School, Donaldsonville High School, Episcopal High School, Grace King High School, Hahnville High School, Hammond High School, Immaculata High School, John Ehret High School, Live Oak High School, Mandeville High School, Mount Carmel Academy, Ridgewood Preparatory School, St. Joseph High School, The St. Paul’s School, St. Scholastic Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas and Ursuline Academy.       For additional information about the festival contact Escobar at 985-549-2266 or lescobar@selu.edu.