This past Tuesday, March 24, eighteen students, including four freshmen and two seniors, were inducted to the French National Honor Society, or the Société Honoraire de Français. SHF was founded by the American Associations of Teachers of French in 1949. Its motto is “L’homme qui sait deux langues en vaut deux,” which means, “The man who knows two languages is worth two men.”

The inductees were States Beall, Mary Peyton Brown, Elsa Crowe, Natalie Davidson, Olive Gardener, Megan Kolbe, Eliot Leadem, Madeline McQuillan, Katherine Moseley, Lindsay Patterson, Michael Pi, Hannah Reed, Peter Sterckx, Helena Upshaw, Jenny Yao, Julia Zimlich, Jessica Wright, and Charles Rainero.

Graduating senior members are Leonardo Awgulewitsch, Ella Berger, Lexi Chavin (Vice President), Lexi Cocolas, Amanda Devapiriam, Carly Duffy, Anneliese Esch, Nancey Fang, Helena Guo, Riley Haldrup, Ashley Heywood, Jasmine Hubara, Audrey Hughes, Melissa Knapp, Jack Kulp, Samantha Lavelle, Choral Linhart, William Luttrell, Buckley McCall (Treasurer), Selina Pi (President), Sara Pilling, Charles Rainero, Tedra Roper, Coleman Richards, Uriel Salazar-Angelini, Jennifer Schaaf, Carolina Smith, Katrina Thomas, Jessica Wright, and Bertrand Zhang. Junior Evey Adams is the secretary of FNHS.

To join FNHS, a student must have an A grade in French and an overall B average or above in other classes. FNHS serves the AMHS and local community by tutoring, celebrating French holidays, and hosting cultural activities.

The initiation ceremony, known as “La Course du Flambeau,” involves the senior members of SHF symbolically transferring the flame of their enthusiasm for the French language and culture to the younger members through candle flames. Originating in ancient Greece, “La Course du Flambeau” represents the passing of values along generations of life. All inductees recited the pledge that reflected the spirit of the ceremony, “Par ce flambeau, symbole du transfert des Connaissances, je m’engage à continuer sans relâche mes efforts pour m’instruire et transmettre aux futures générations mon amour pour la langue et la culture françaises.”

A highlight of the reception was the batch of homemade macaron provided by Vice President of the French Club, junior Matthew Leadem. French teachers Dr. Altman and Mr. Jent; administrators Ms. Peterson and Ms. Pinckney; and the FNHS worked hard to organize and sponsor the event.