Alliance Française Essay Contest 2007 -- Click here for details March 12, 2007 Dear Colleagues, I would like to give you an update on the Alliance Française Essay Contest which took place just a few weeks ago. We again had several dozen students write essays. Truly, all participants are to be congratulated. What a great (and challenging) opportunity for students to express their ideas in written French on a wide variety of topics! It is my pleasure to announce the following essays as “best in their category” for our local Birmingham chapter. Category A (University, 3-4 years of French): Mert ERTUNGA [teacher: Mary McCullough, Samford University] Category B (University, 1-2 years of French): Jenna EDWARDS [teacher: Mary McCullough, Samford University] Category C (High School, 3 or more years of French): Anna CHILES [teacher: Amy Benson, The Altamont School] Category D (High School, less than 3 years of French): Shannon KERR [teacher: Casey Harlan, Vestavia Hills High School] These four essays have been sent to Washington DC for competition at the national level. We await the results from the Délégation Générale in early April. Doigts croisés! We are deeply grateful to our judges Sarina Busuttil, Geneviève Blaudeau, and Marie-Claude Freeland for reading and scoring the essays. This is a time-consuming and often agonizing endeavor. We sincerely thank them for their selfless service to the Alliance and to the promotion of French in the area. Alors, grand merci, mesdames! Please plan to join us for the Concours next year—and encourage others to do the same. Sincerely, Peter Rosborough The Altamont School Les Résultats du Concours- Félicitations aux étudiants et aux profs!!- March 10, 2006 Dear Colleagues, I would like to give you an update on the Alliance Française Essay Contest which took place just a few weeks ago. We again had several dozen students write essays. Truly, all participants are to be congratulated. What a great (and challenging) opportunity for students to express their ideas in written French on a wide variety of topics! It is my pleasure to announce the following essays as “best in their category” for our local Birmingham chapter. Category A (University, 3-4 years of French): N/A Category B (University, 1-2 years of French): Jeremiah West [teacher: Heather West, Samford University] Category C (High School, 3 or more years of French): Claudia Carcelén [teacher: Jeanne Classé, The Altamont School] Category D (High School, less than 3 years of French): Mateo Forero [teacher: Peter Rosborough, The Altamont School] These three essays have been sent to Washington DC for competition at the national level. We await the results from Washington in early April. Doigts croisés! We are deeply grateful to our judges Sarina Busuttil, Geneviève Blaudeau, and Susan Green for reading and scoring the essays. This is a time-consuming and often agonizing endeavor. We sincerely thank them for their selfless service to the Alliance and to the promotion of French in the area. Alors, merci! Please plan to join us for the Concours next year—and encourage others to do the same. Sincerely, Peter Rosborough March 2006: Once again, an anonymous member of the Alliance Française of Birmingham has made possible a generous scholarship that will allow a Birmingham-Southern College student to travel to Paris over 2006 Spring Break This year's recipient is Kate Brantley of Madison, Ms. Kate is a junior and she is double majoring in French and English. She is the daughter of Mary T. Bishop of Madison, MS. Kate said, "I am very excited about Paris and have been dreaming of going there since I was little!" Félicitations, Kate !!

Moliere's THE DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF

A hilarious farce that defines "Slapstick"!

PRESENTED IN-THE-ROUND IN THE CABANISS FINE ARTS CENTER

4801 ALTAMONT ROAD

April 8 and 9 at 7 p.m.

April 10 at 3 p.m.

adults $5

students free

FUN FOR ALL AGES!!

March 2005: Résultats - Concours de l'Alliance Française
A note from Peter Rosborough:
I would like to give you an update on the Alliance Française Essay Contest which took place just a few weeks ago. We again had several dozen students write essays, including students from a school new to the Concours (Welcome,Briarwood!). Truly, all participants are to be congratulated! If you did not participate this year, please give it some consideration for next year. We would especially like to see increased participation at the university level. It's a great opportunity for students to express themselves in written French on a wide variety of topics.

It is my pleasure to announce the following essays as "best in their
category" for our local Birmingham Chapter.

Category A (University, 3-4 years of French): -no entry-

Category B (University, 1-2 years of French): Meredith Henry
[teacher: Mary McCullough, Samford]

Category C (High School, 3 or more years of French): Ruth Ann Brown
[teacher: Anne Dumoulin, Mountain Brook High School]

Category D (High School, less than 3 years of French): James Barclay
[teacher: Peter Rosborough, The Altamont School]

These three essays will be sent to Washington D.C. for competition at the national level. The results are to be announced April 9th--doigts croisés!

We are so grateful to our judges (Marie-Claude Freeland, Sarina Busuttil, and Mary Wills Lecroy) for reading and scoring the many essays. This is a time-consuming and often agonizing endeavor. We sincerely thank them fortheir selfless service to the Alliance and to the promotion of French in the area!

March 2005: Birmingham-Southern College student Elizabeth Croft of Vestavia Hills
will be spending spring break week in France thanks to a generous scholarship from an anonymous Alliance Française member. Croft was awarded a $1,089.00 Alliance Française of Birmingham Travel Award to go on the March spring trip. She will travel to Paris and several surrounding areas during March 27-April 2 to become exposed to the French language and lifestyle.
A Vestavia Hills High School graduate, Croft is studying accounting and French at BSC. She is the daughter of Philemon and Rose Croft.

February 2005: Le Concours National de Français.

Bonne année! It's once again time to plan to participate in LE CONCOURS NATIONAL DE FRANÇAIS (sponsored by the local Alliance Française chapter in Birmingham). This yearly essay contest has been an important event for our area, as we have produced national winners in the past.

This year's contest will be taking place in colleges and high schools across the country during the week of FEBRUARY 12 - 19. Please plan to have your students participate! The essay contest is open to students whose native language is not French. The categories for the candidates in our area are as follows:

Category A: University undergraduates with 3-4 years of college French.
Category B: University undergraduates with 1-2 years of college French.
Category C: High School students with 3 or more years French.
Category D: High School students with fewer than 3 years of French.

Participants in Categories B, C, and D will be permitted to use a dictionary while writing. Students may have up to two (2) hours to hand-write the essay, 3 pages maximum. You simply arrange a time convenient to you and your students.

There is no cost to you or your students to participate. The Alliance Française of Birmingham will pay all the fees associated with the contest. You do not have to be a member in order to participate, although we would encourage you to please consider joining the organization!

For more information, please contact Peter Rosborough at prosborough@altamontschool.org

April 2004: Two Alliance Française members honored.
Dr. William C. Carter and Dr. Catherine Danielou, both French professors at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and long-time members of the AF, were honored at UAB this month.
Dr. Carter was appointed Distinguished Professor in French, and Dr. Danielou was awarded the UAB President's Excellence in Teaching Award (for Arts and Humanities). Bravo!!

April 2004: Alliance Française 2004 Essay Contest -- click here to read more.

March 2004: BSC student, Matthew Harris, wins Paris Travel grant.
An anonymous member of the Alliance Française of Birmingham made a very generous grant to send a Birmingham-Southern French major on the Springtime in Paris trip. Matthew was able to spend a week in Paris perfecting his language skills and appreciating French culture thanks to this wonderful gift. Our member said that he feels that travel abroad is a very important component of a well-rounded education, and he hopes that his gesture will inspire other members to do the same for the school of their choice.