Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 3/12/01
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple   56

Editors: Please note local interest
MORE THAN 600 STUDENTS EXPECTED FOR ANNUAL LANGUAGE FESTIVAL
     HAMMOND -- Southeastern Louisiana University will welcome more than 600 high
school students from 28 area schools to campus March 29 for the 19th annual Foreign Language
Festival.
     Students will test their skills in Spanish and French by competing as individuals in
poetry, prose and extemporaneous speaking categories and as groups in music and plays. The
competitions 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.
     Members of the New Orleans Consular Corp will serve as festival judges and preside at
the awards ceremony, said festival coordinator Luz Escobar, a member of the Southeastern
foreign language faculty. They include Jose Eduardo Cruz, general consul of Ecuador and dean
of the New Orleans Consular Corp; Gonzalo CalderĒn, general consul of Costa Rica; Elaine
Levaque, consul of Belgium; and Elizabeth Rosemberg, cultural attach‚ of the Consulate of
France.
     Escobar said numerous activities have been planned to make their campus visit fun for
festival participants.
     At the festival's headquarters, the University Center, students will be entertained by a
band and a show, "Chantons Francais" by Philippe Radelet. Visiting students will also take
campus bus tours, learn about the university and its application process through a PowerPoint
and video, and visit Southeastern computer labs for technology demonstrations. 
     "We want to show the high school students what we have at Southeastern   pride," 
                             (MORE)
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FESTIVAL   Add One

Escobar said. "We will take them on a walking tour to the Student Union at noon to see what our 
Pride Day is all about." Southeastern stages Pride Day on the last Thursday of each month. The
event includes a variety of spirit-building activities, giveaways and free refreshments for students
at the Student Union mall. 
     Participating schools include St. Scholastic Academy, Grace King High School,
Archbishop Chapelle High School, Redemptorist High School, Franklinton High School, John
Ehret High School, Mount Carmel Academy, L.W. Higgins High School, Slidell High School,
St. Paul's School, St. Joseph Academy, Helen Cox Junior High School, Central High School, St.
Mary's Academy.
     Also, Donaldsonville High School, Live Oak High School, Northlake Christian School,
Baton Rouge High School, McKinley High school, Catholic High School, De La Salle High
School, Ponchatoula High School, Riverdale High School, Mandeville High School, Walker
High School, Albany High School, St. Amant High School, and St. Thomas Aquinas High
School. 
     For additional information about the festival, contact Southeastern's Foreign Languages
and Literatures Department, 504-549-2152 or e-mail lescobar@selu.edu.
                             -SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsp01.htm