Thanksgiving event of the American International Section of LfiSV

Thanksgiving event of the American International Section of LfiSV

Thanksgiving is an annual celebration of the harvest and its abundance. Furthermore, Thanksgiving is part of a broader group of celebrations that transcend civilizations, continents and years. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans feasted and paid homage to their gods after the fall harvest. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States.

According to the tradition, the students from American International Section prepared their feast and on the first of December all together, they celebrated, learned and enjoyed this immersion in the American traditions. The students from 6thgrade to 2nde brought food for the meal and invited the younger part of the section, the classes of CM1 and CM2.

Dishes prepared in advance by the parents of students from middle and high school, were warmed up by the canteen staff. Among them we could see pumpkin pie, corn bread, macaroni cheese, stuffing, chocolate brownies and loads of turkey (1 parent brought in a full turkey!). Some parents came to the school to drop off their dishes just a few minutes prior to the beginning of the celebration.

As the day involves more than traditional food, each class had a precise task:  2nde students presented information and history about the celebration, 8th grade did a presentation on table manners and last but not least, the 9th grade made a toast. This day was also the occasion for students to meet the other classes of the section: each table had a good balance of CM1 to 2nde and on each table a list of ideas for conversation topics was waiting to be used.

Thanksgiving is the day of being grateful, therefore it was the occasion for students to contribute to a Gratitude Chain – a paper chain on which each student wrote what they were thankful for.

We thank the parents who prepared all the delicious food, the canteen staff who contributed at the good organisation and the students who taught us how to enjoy an American feast in a French school. Our warmest thanks go as well to the two teachers, Mrs Sidney Karesh, and Sarah Lernout.

The LfiSV opened its first American section for middle school last year and continued this year with the opening of the section for elementary school. It counts 28 students in primary school and 51 students in middle school and high school. The American International Section is a linguistic and bicultural program implemented by the French National Education Ministry in cooperation with the USA. Its particularity is to integrate within the French system a teaching of not only the language, but also of American culture.

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