Foreign Language Program
Welcome to C.A. Johnson Foreign Language Program
It is the mission of C.A. Johnson High School Foreign Language Program to cultivate students' understanding and appreciatation of other cultures as well as their own and empower them to communicate and participate successfully as informed citizens in a global society.
Point of Contact: Mrs. Laura Moldovan, laura.moldovan@richlandone.org
C.A. Johnson High School becomes the first school to attend “ Thinking globally” on USC campus
In 2016, C.A. Johnson has joined other local schools in the “ Thinkning globally” program developed by USC, through the coordination of Mr. Justin Mellish, by receiving the visit of USC international student ambassadors at our school in order to present and exhange cultural information, to open a multicultural dialogue and understanding.
This year, in March, the opportunity has changed. For the best. At the initiative of Mrs. Julie Medlin, USC Columbia Internationalization Programming Coordinator, we changed the setting and became the first high school invited to participate in the program on the USC campus, amplifying the benefits of our culturally academic experience.
At the suggestion and organization of Mrs. Julie Medlin, our partnership visit included various key aspects. We met with four USC international student ambassadors who shared with us information on their home countries- Nigeria, Myanmar, China and Indonesia- , answered our students’questions and helped us experience some genuine cultural facts on site. Our students also benefited from an informational overview on cultural awareness, learned about several government-funded programs that allow students to study critical foreign languages, received information on USC admission and financial assistance programs, toured the campus and learned about the history of the university.
The program visit has been a success that we will certainly follow in the years to come.
We would like to thank Mrs. Julie Medlin and Mr. Justin Mellish for their sustained support and diligent organization of our collaboration. (pictures below)
Spanish III students learn about and reflect on bilingualism and multiculturalism benefits
On May, 8th, 2018, Spanish III level students have received the visit of Major Melvin T. Whittenburg, US Army (retired) and C. A. Johnson High School alumni, and Mrs. Lourdes Villwock, local H&R Block manager.
Their visit has been tied in to the significance of the Hispanic heritage in the United States, the presence of the Hispanic community in the local area, and the benefits of bilingualism and intercultural knowledge in today’s global world, in correlation with the celebration of Cinco de Mayo.
Over the span of ninety minutes, our guests have conducted round-table sessions with the Spanish seniors, highlighting their personal and professional experience related to the advantages of being able to speak another language, learn from, work in and promote a bilingual environment, along with the resourcefulness given by such abilities in developing attributes of inquiry, reflection, communication and cultural awareness in an internationally minded context. In conclusion of the visit, the students were surprised with a genuine Mexican lunch offered by Major Whittenburg.
We would like to thank our distinguished guests for taking their time to be with us on this occasion, and their dedication to not only share with the students their knowledge, but also leaving a print on the personal development of our future graduates, as they enter workforce or go to college.
We also consider ourselves privileged to have been given the opportunity to put to a good use the initiative of our school alumni Major Whittenburg to support the growth of our foreign language program and, therefore, learning about the importance of giving back to the school community. (pictures below)
