![\"\"](\"http:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/files\/2014\/04\/tatum3.jpg\")
<\/a>Aneshia Becton Middle and high school students from throughout Jackson and central Mississippi showed off their foreign language skills at Jackson State University April 4.<\/p>\n The Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages hosted its 12th annual \u201cMississippi Foreign Language Fair.\u201d The JSU College of Liberal Arts was transformed into a display area for projects designed by students for grades and awards. Students designed in-depth maps of areas from which foreign languages originated as well as vividly colored pi\u00f1atas showcasing the Latin American culture and other artistic shapes.<\/p>\n Alejandro Hernandez, a 9th grade student from Ridgeland High School, was delighted about being honored for his work.<\/p>\n \u201cI know this was a competition but I did my best with my pi\u00f1ata and I got what I deserved,\u201d said Hernandez.<\/p>\n In addition to the displays, there were dance and singing presentations, which included students miming to songs and singing songs in the foreign language of their choice.<\/p>\n Erica Chacon, a 7th grade student at Northwest Middle School in Jackson, was happy to be at Jackson State to present.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m happy to be out of school, but I am even happier to be at JSU to present my talent. I was scared to be dancing in front of everyone but I did,\u201d said Chacon.<\/p>\n Christina Tate, a 9th grader at Canton High School, said she also was nervous about messing up her dance.<\/p>\n \u201cI was thinking I forgot my moves, but afterwards I was like I can\u2019t believe I did that,\u201d said Tate.<\/p>\n For one student, the fair helped her decide what to study in college in a few years.<\/p>\n \u201cSpanish is going to be my major in college, after being chosen and testing excellent on my test it will be easier than other subjects because I already know some of it,\u201d said Ashley Samsung, a 9th grader at Ridgeland High.<\/p>\n Patti Salamonson, a Ridgeland High school teacher, said all students in attendance had achieved at the fair. \u201cNot only Ridgeland High students but all students were in a way honored today. In my eyes they all deserve awards, not ribbons,\u201d said Salamonson.<\/p>\n Jasmine King, a 7th grader at Northwest Middle School stated: \u201cI scored excellent on my test, but I feel like being chosen to be here was good too.\u201d<\/p>\n Reggie Larson, a 7th grade student at Northwest, is motivated for next year\u2019s MFLF. \u201cI want to work hard so that next year I can come back and really compete with other schools; this was my first year,\u201d said Larson.<\/p>\n Ashley McGee, a 9th grader from Canton, wants his friends to share this opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cWe tested and that wasn\u2019t fun but after that we were all into our projects and presentations. My friends heard the word test and didn\u2019t want to try to attend, but after I show them what we did I think next year there will be more people here,\u201d said McGee.<\/p>\n Esperanza Velasquez, foreign language fair public relations coordinator, felt this event was positive for the community.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are talented kids and we do this every year because it is needed,\u201d said Valasquez.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Aneshia Becton MC301 Contributor Middle and high school students from throughout Jackson and central Mississippi showed off their foreign language skills at Jackson State University…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_plus_post_options":"{}","editor_plus_copied_stylings":"{}","_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3841"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3841"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3841\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/strong>MC301 Contributor<\/strong><\/p>\n