HSU Foreign Languages Department to Host Its First Language Olympics

February 2, 2017 Meredith Foster (Student Writer)

The HSU Department of Foreign Languages will host its first Language Olympics event on February 4.

Students from small regional high schools will compete in teams of two to show off four skill areas in Spanish: reading, writing, listening and speaking. The events include questions, translating, playing jeopardy, and listening activities.

Myles Hammack, an HSU alumni and high school Spanish teacher from Spur ISD, mentioned the idea of having a language competition to HSU professor Dr. Rosario Hall after taking his students to a large language competition held at Texas Tech University.

“We wanted to create a competition that gave smaller districts in the area a chance to showcase their talents. I look forward to bringing my students to campus for this experience,” Hammack said.

Only schools classified by UIL, University Scholastic League, as being 3A or smaller will be participating in the Language Olympics.

Dr. Hall, Assistant Professor of Foreign Languages and Head of HSU Foreign Languages Department, said, “Ultimately, the goal of this event will be to provide new ways in which we can act upon our vision statement, ‘Hardin-Simmons University will be an innovative community of servant scholars engaging the minds and nurturing the spirits of future Christian leaders.’

She added, “This new program will further these goals by developing a culture of diversity and openness, enriching student experiences, growing total enrollment, and developing new programs.”

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and students will be involved in other campus activities between events. Students will receive a campus tour given by HSU student guide Danica Butts. Dr. Tiffany Fink, a professor in the Department of History, will be giving a lecture, “March like Stoics Over Windswept Hills: Engaging students with Primary Document-Based Pedagogy,” to the high school teachers in attendance.

Additionally, the HSU library is providing brown bag lunches for participants, teachers, and volunteers.  The Office of Admission and Recruitment is providing 70 T-shirts for the participants.

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