Tate High School Students Earn Top Honors At Florida French Competition

March 11, 2026

For the first time, Tate High School students recently participated in Le Congrès de la Culture Française en Floride, held in Orlando.

The statewide event brings together students from across Florida to celebrate French language, culture, and the arts through academic and performance-based competitions.

Despite having only about two months to prepare for the event, Tate students demonstrated remarkable dedication as they prepared entries across numerous categories, including theatrical performances, poetry recitation, musical performance, impromptu speaking, cultural projects, reading comprehension, and creative design competitions aligned with this year’s theme, “The World of French Cinema.”

Led by veteran French teacher, Evangeline Leventhal, the students represented Tate High School with distinction, earning recognition in several categories:

Superior Merit

  • Original French Skit (Writing and Performance): Shiloh Cash, Kaala Cowell, Duyen Luc, Khloe McMillian
  • 3-D Cultural Project: Jagger Etheridge, Kira Kimmons
  • Individual Poetry Recitation: Mariah Foster

Excellent Merit

  • French Play Adaptation: Shiloh Cash, Kaala Cowell, Mariah Foster, Estelle Lentini, Duyen Luc, Khloe McMillian, Kiley Menser
  • Individual Poetry Recitation: Kira Kimmons, Kiley Menser

Honorable Mention

  • Individual Poetry Recitation: Kaala Cowell
  • Impromptu Speech: Shiloh Cash
  • Reading Comprehension Test: Jagger Etheridge, Nikolaus Huber, Khloe McMillian
  • French Song Performance: Estelle Lentini, Anh Luc

In addition to their competitive events, students also created a cultural scrapbook highlighting how French language and culture are represented at Tate High School and designed a themed T-shirt connected to the competition’s focus on francophone cinema.

While the awards were a significant achievement, the students said the experience itself was equally meaningful. Students dedicated many hours outside of class memorizing lines, rehearsing performances, and refining their French language skills.

Their commitment allowed them to confidently present and perform in French while competing alongside schools with long-established programs, Principal Laura Touchstone said. “Participation in the competition fostered strong collaboration among students and teachers and provided an unforgettable opportunity to celebrate language learning, creativity, and cultural appreciation.”

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FRONT TOP