Clearview Regional High School French teacher Katherine Rimdzius wants students to work on their French with a trip Quebec in February.
Registration is now open for the trip to the French-speaking Canadian province. Attractions will include admission to the famed Carnaval, described as a winter wonderland; dogsledding, a guided visit to a Huron-Wendat traditional village; and a visit to Montmorency Falls, with brunch at the Château Frontenac.
“Too often, language learning is perceived by students and families as another class to check off the list for graduation,” said Rimdzius. “I am looking to change this perception and open the student’s eyes to the power and beauty that language holds.”
Rimdzius is hosting the trip independently from the school system with her friend and former colleague, Inez Korff, a French and Spanish teacher with more than 25 years of experience, most of it in Cherry Hill. Korff would host a similar trip to Quebec.
“A highlight of our French language program in Cherry Hill has been the annual trip to Québec City, and I am thrilled to be bringing this trip to Clearview Regional High School,” noted Korff. “It is a jam-packed trip in four days. An itinerary that includes history, natural wonders, First Nations culture, architecture, agriculture and lots of fun.”
The trip is intended for students in grades eight through 12 and is also open to students outside of Clearview. Those interested can email Korff at chkidstravel@gmail.com for more information. Both she and Rimdzius hope the trip turns out to be a transformative experience.
“Having led educational tours for over a decade, I have personally witnessed the transformative power of student travel,” Korff explained. “In just a few days, students grow in confidence, resilience and empathy. They form lasting friendships; become open-minded global citizens; and, of course, improve their French by using it in the real world.”
“I want to show students that there is more to this world than South Jersey and provide meaning for their learning,” offered Rimdzius, “as language is more than just verb conjugations, textbook activities and vocabulary words like ‘le lavabo’ or ‘l’agrafeuse.'”
