You’ve probably heard that ETHS is a diverse place, but next week’s World Language celebration will give you a new perspective on why.

“It’s a great way to draw attention to all the languages we offer here at ETHS,” said World Language department chair, Rachel Gressel.   “Everybody knows we offer spanish and french, but people may not know that we offer 8 different languages and the different doors that each language can open new doors for you based on your interest.”

This week’s activities will include events ranging from cultural costume presentations, historical display cases, and an array of foods from around the world.

“We have days where students in specific languages dress a specific color that may or may not coincide with the flag where that language is spoken,” added Gressel.

“I love it when languages dress up in their special ethnic costumes and when they announce sayings in their languages on PA during announcements,” said Hebrew teacher Semadar Siegel.

But of course, no celebration is complete without food.

Students stopping by the cafeteria will be able to share different culture’s food on each day of the week. Mon. through Fri. will hold Asian, German and Israeli, Latin Italian, Spanish, and French cuisine, respectively.

“I look forward every year to see the different foods that will be offered during World Language Week in the cafeteria,” said junior Ella Lambert

“It’s a time where we can celebrate the different languages we offer at ETHS and the different languages that our student body speaks,” said Gressel.

One of the main objectives of this week is to show students that their classmates come from many different cultures, and without this week it would harder to realize that. Not to mention passion for languages that many students share.

“A lot of kids think that they should take spanish because thats what they took in middle school. But if you want to go into business german is a really good language for you to learn it will be very useful for you so would chinese,” added Gressel. “Those are two languages that you wouldn’t necessarily think of right a way.”

According the the New York Times, “It [being bilingual] can have a profound effect on your brain, improving cognitive skills not related to language and even shielding against dementia in old age.”

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to share and experience the different cultures of ETHS.