Four Wilbraham & Monson Academy students can say “bonjour” to the Société Honoraire de Français.

Julia Chang ’29, Vicky Luo ’28, Harlowe Grozio ’28 and Surya Kapa ’27 were inducted into the Academy’s chapter of the French Honor Society during a ceremony on Feb. 2.

World Languages Department Chair Fabienne DuBois said membership is awarded “based on scholarship, commitment to French, citizenship and service to the school. Inducted students demonstrate exceptional dedication to learning the French language and exploring Francophone culture. It is deeply rewarding to recognize their hard work and enthusiasm, to support them during their time at WMA and to continue supporting them as they apply to college.”

Below are comments from each student:

Julia on being inducted into the Société Honoraire de Français: “Being inducted into the French Honor Society brings me a lot of pride and joy. I started learning French in sixth grade at WMA, so it is a great feeling knowing I have improved so much in the language. The French Honor Society is an amazing reminder of the many things I can accomplish with another language.”

Vicky on how her French language skills have improved at WMA: “While a lot of my learning is done in French class with Madame Dubois, I believe that a significant amount of my language skill is built off of time out of the classroom, exploring aspects of Francophone culture through resources like podcasts, books and movies. This is also of course thanks to Madame, though, because she is the one who has consistently encouraged my curiosity and interests by exposing us to these topics and cultivating discussion around them.”

Harlowe on her French improving: “I’m truly amazed by how much my French has grown at WMA, especially considering that I barely knew how to say “bonjour” when I began taking it in sixth grade. I was recently able to hold a conversation with a native French speaker, and realizing that I could communicate confidently felt incredible. It made me appreciate how far I’ve come and inspires me to keep improving. I am grateful to Madame and WMA for providing me with an exceptional foundation of both the French language and the culture and look forward to traveling to France soon and putting my speaking skills to the test, and enjoying a delicious “pain au chocolat!”

Surya on what he enjoys about the French culture and language: “The thing I enjoy most about the French language is the ability to connect with people different to you. Last winter, while in Mauritius (a French-speaking nation), I was able to connect with those I wouldn't necessarily have connected with without the ability to converse in French. Although some think knowing a language goes unnoticed, in reality, it goes much deeper and even with a few mistakes here and there, people take notice of your effort and humility in trying to communicate with them in their language. Something I learned with that is that language does not give you intercultural competence, but it is a vehicle in which you can learn more about others and, in return, yourself.”

Madame DuBois also wanted to recognize Katie Hutcheson '26, a member of the French Honor Society since 2022 and the current French Club president.