SOMERS, N.Y. Nineteen students from Somers Middle and High Schools competed in the World Language Poetry Contest at New Jerseys William Paterson University this week and four of them were among the winners.
The Somers winners were Antonella DAscanio (First Place in Intermediate Italian), Isabella Duenas (First Place in Native Spanish), Gaetano Carillo (Second Place in Intermediate Italian) and Jenna Scambia (Honorable Mention in Native Italian).
The challenge was to recite from memory a poem in a foreign language, with emphasis on good pronunciation, intonation and a poised delivery, expressive enough to convey the meaning of the poem to people who do not understand the language. The judges comprised poets, linguists and world language professors.
Somers French and Italian teacher, Joan Scerbo, said that more than 50 schools from the tri-state area competed, with about ten kids per school, so there were about 500 altogether. There were four levels of competition: beginner, intermediate, advanced and native.
To prepare for the university competition, the students spent many hours being coached, learning to overcome inhibitions and trying to capture the essence of the poem. They had a practice session before the Somers Board of Education. If a student does it well enough, Scerbo said, The student becomes the poem.
Italian has become enormously popular, Scerbo said. Somers has two-and-a-half full-time Italian teachers. We used to have one Advanced College Italian class, now we have two. There are 30 more students in this years eighth grade Italian class than there were in last years. Some kids go on to major in language, but quite a few minor in it.
We live in a global world these days. Its very important to speak a foreign language in business. Even small random businesses have some kind of international component. And also, people are so appreciative if you make an attempt to speak their language.
Scerbo feels that a teachers passion for a subject transfers to his/her students and hopes her passion for language has inspired her students. In addition to the study of grammar and vocabulary, Somers students make field trips to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx to see artisans making fresh pasta, bread and mozzarella. They go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to learn about Italian art. Next year they will visit the Italian Mission to the United Nations and will take a trip to Italy as well.
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