Dr. Daren Snider
assistant professor, Modern Languages, 308.865.8493
More than 400 students from 14 area high schools will be on the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus Thursday, April 7, for the 31st annual Foreign Language Day.
“Foreign Language Day is a chance for students to come together to experience cultures from around the world,” said Dr. Daren Snider, event coordinator. Various language and cultural activities will take place throughout the day, including UNK Students on Stage, a “Three Aspects of Bilingualism” session, language mini lessons, poetry recitation from high school students, an international buffet, and high school performances of foreign song and dance.
Foreign Language Day will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. in the Fine Arts Recital Hall. UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen and Dr. William Jurma, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Humanities, will extend a welcome at 9:15 a.m.
UNK Students on Stage will begin at 9:30 a.m. During this segment of the event, UNK international students will provide entertainment involving colorful cultural songs and dances performed in native costumes. The featured acts include “Bilingualism: Why two is better than one,” Ladies Mix Multicultural Dance, Indian dance, Brazilian dance, Colombian song, Colombian dance, Japanese So-Ran Dance, Studies in Guadalajara and Travel in Germany.
The “Three Aspects of Bilingualism” session is scheduled for 10:45 a.m. in the Fine Arts Building Room 312. This session is for high school teachers and students. Presenters from the UNK Department of Modern Languages include Xavier Chavez, Dr. Herbert Craig and Dr. Eduardo Gonzalez.
Also at 10:45 a.m., language mini lessons will be taught at the Health and Sports Center. These lessons are 15-minute rotating sessions taught by UNK students about featured cultures and languages, which include Arabic, Bahamian, Mayan, French, German, Nepalese, Indian, Japanese, Portuguese, Slovakian and Spanish.
Poetry recitations in French, German and Spanish will be presented in Thomas Hall Rooms 201, 212 and 117, respectively, at 11 a.m. These recitations have been prepared and practiced by attending high school students and will be given a rating at the awards assembly concluding the event.
At noon, an international buffet will be served in the Ponderosa Room of the Nebraskan Student Union. The buffet will feature foods from various countries around the world.
High school performances of foreign song and dance will begin at 1 p.m. in the Fine Arts Recital Hall. Kearney High School will perform Soleil in French and Amor de mi alma in Spanish. Sarah Nelson and Marissa Baumfalk of Elwood High School will present Music Alone Shall Live in German. You’re Hired! will be performed by Blue Hill High School, and Calla Harrington of Loup City High School will perform No Llores Para Mi, Argentina. As with the poetry recitations, the high school performances will be awarded a rating.
Students from the following schools will attend: Axtell Community School, Anselmo-Merna High School, Aurora High School, Blue Hill High School, Broken Bow High School, Elm Creek High School, Elwood High School, Eustis-Farnam High School, Franklin Public High School, Grand Island Central Catholic, Kearney High School, Loup City High School, Ogallala High School and St. Cecilia of Hastings.
