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French Goes Public Multiplies Its Successes!
Mar. 20

Dear Friends,

On this day of Francophone celebration we would like to draw your attention to our French Goes Public initiative.

The numbers prove the dramatic success of French Goes Public. The programs have increased six-fold in a two-year period!

• From 3 classes in September 2007 to 19 in September 2009;
• From 60 students from K-8 in 2007 to 380 in 2009;
• From 3 schools to 6 schools in Manhattan, Harlem, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.

In addition, parents and students from all over the city benefit from our work! Inspired by the first openings of French classes in the public schools in 2007, parents are now putting their children on waiting lists at PS.58 in Brooklyn and at PS.84 in the Upper West Side. A new school will open its doors to French in September 2009, in Woodside, Queens. We have begun working on a new project in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This success follows suit to our efforts to offer students attending American public schools the possibility to learn French. It is also due to the constant effort of the Education Francaise a New York group (EFNY) which, today, will receive the Venet d'Or from the Internation Organisation of La Francophonie. Congratulations, EFNY!

Your donation will fund professional training for French teachers; French books orders and art workshops. As you may imagine, with such a rapid growth, teachers and materials are essential to assuring the professionalism of the programs.

Our other flagship program in the public schools, the French-Heritage Language Program (FHLP), is also growing at an astounding rate, and benefits the French-Speaking community, largely immigrant-based, coming from Mali, Senegal, Switzerland, France, and Haiti. The FHLP now serves both elementary and high school students. It is also actively involved in the promising first French-American Charter School in New York City (NYFACS).

For the programs to thrive, not only is it essential that the current contributions be sustained, but it is imperative that we assure additional funding. At a time when we are all facing financial challenges, we cannot compromise the rigor and quality of our offerings in the public schools. I solicit your interest and just as importantly your support.

Fabrice Jaumont, our Attaché for Educational Affairs would be happy to answer any questions regarding the programs. Again, any support that you or your organization would be willing to offer—small or large—would be greatly appreciated.

Merci beaucoup!

Kareen Rispal
Cultural Counselor
Embassy of France

If you wish to make a secure online donation simply click on the following link.

As a donor you, will receive an automated tax receipt as well as a recognition letter from FACE. All donations are tax deductible.

You can also send a cheque to:
FACE
972 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10075

FACE (French American Cultural Exchange), is a nonprofit organization, chartered by the state of New York. FACE's mission is to nurture French-American relations through innovative international projects in the arts, education, and cultural exchange. FACE operates under the authority of a Board of Trustees and is managed by an Executive Director, with professional and logistical support from the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.

Breaking the news:

- NY Daily News Reports on PS 58 and the Carroll Gardens French Community – New York Daily News -
- AfterEd TV on PS 58 and dual language programs (video)
- Jean-Pol d. Franqueuil visiting Dual-Language Classes in Public Schools – France-Amérique (in French)
- New York Charter School en Français: French Morning (in French)
- PS.151 in Queens open its door to French Dual-Language Program
France-Amérique (in French)
- CUNY TV - French Heritage Language Program (video)
- Washington Times - Dual-language classes give U.S. an edge
- ABC News - A Focus on French in some NYC schools
- TF1 20h - Premiere Maternelle Franco-Americaine a New York (video)
- USA Today - Two-tongued teaching gains ground in US
- Babble.com - Bilingual Education Si or Non?
- Washinton Post - Two-tongued teaching
- Le Figaro - Des livres francais pour les ecoliers US
- New York Times - French Gains Foothold on New York City's Dual Language Map
- More