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Some of the French Club members at Monmouth College are, from left, Michelle Diederich, Dianna Alvarez, Yesica Alvarez, Bota Yergaliyeva, Virginia Lule and Stephanie Torres.
The Monmouth College French Club is taking an active role in helping ease the transition for the city of Monmouth’s increasing population of native French speakers.
The club has conducted several fundraisers throughout the past few years. With the proceeds, they have purchased and donated bilingual books (French/English, Spanish/English) or French books to local school libraries so children attending these schools can have access to the language they were using before coming to the U.S.
Schools that have received the books include United West Elementary, Lincoln Early Childhood, Harding Primary, Central Intermediate, the nursery at Willits and Monmouth-Roseville Junior and Senior High.
“There are many immigrant families in Monmouth and the surrounding area who have migrated from Francophone African countries,” said modern foreign languages lecturer Annie Moore, who serves as the club’s adviser and is often called on to serve as an interpreter. “I’ve seen firsthand the joy on parents’ and children’s faces alike when they hear someone who speaks their language and who can help a bit.”
The president of the club is Michele Diederich, a senior from De Pere, Wis. She serves as an assistant at United West Elementary, helping children who are transitioning from French to English. Other French Club members are Dianna Alvarez of Chicago, Yesica Alvarez of Chicago, Virginia Lule of Wheaton, Bota Yergaliyeva of Kazakhstan, Stephanie Torres of Chicago, Abrafi Osei-Kofi of Accra, Ghana, and Bethany Sandy of Peoria, who is currently studying in France.
The club’s next fundraiser event will be a Valentine carnation sale to be held Feb. 9-12.