UNL hosts 40th Modern Language Fair

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s 40th annual Modern Language Fair is April 14 at the Nebraska Union, 1400 R St.

The Modern Language Fair allows high school students to showcase their foreign language skills through competitions including dramatic readings, musical performances and poetry recitals. Students can also design a poster on the theme of “Slang | Sayings | Idioms: You Name It!” The fair offers competitions in French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Japanese against students of similar skill levels. Faculty and graduate students from UNL’s Department of Modern Languages and Literatures will judge.

There are also non-competitive opportunities such as language mini-lessons, international folk dancing lessons and campus tours.

Registration is at 8 a.m. and opening ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. The day wraps up with a 2 p.m. awards ceremony.

Last year’s event drew 1,124 students from 40 Nebraska schools.

“Language Fair gives high school students an opportunity to demonstrate not only their acquisition of a foreign language, but also the culture,” said Shannon Parry, the event’s coordinator. “Language education teaches students how culture affects the lens through which diverse groups of people interpret our world. This knowledge leads to both personal and professional successes in life.”

Registration is $10 through April 13 and $12 on the day of the event. Any student is welcome but must be accompanied by a teacher from his or her school.

For more details, click here or contact Parry at 402-472-7032 or sparry3@unl.edu.