Last Friday marked the end of National French Week, a seven-day celebration of all things, well, French. The festivities were orchestrated by the French Club, whose goal is just to “explore as much of French culture as possible.”

“It’s just a chance to showcase French culture, and to show others what it’s about,” club sponsor and French teacher Kirsten Fletcher said. National French Week was established mainly “for French people living here” and has been celebrated at EGHS ever since Fletcher started here in 2002.

The week’s activities included many things, such as decorated hallways, a sale of French truffles during lunch periods, and the playing of French music during passing periods. New this year, however, were the theme days.

“We did an immersion day on Friday, where students tried to speak French all day for one day,” Fletcher described.

Additionally, Monday was Mustache Monday, Tuesday was Truffle Tuesday (although the truffles were sold during lunch all week), Wednesday was a wear red, white, and blue day (in conjunction with not only the French flag, but Veteran’s Day as well), and Thursday was “take a selfie” day.

Fletcher’s personal favorite aspect of National French Week was “just seeing the kids get involved.” French students were also taken from classes visit to Grove Junior High, in order for the students there to “see how much they’ve learned in their three to four years here.”

Freshman Ella Bondar and junior Melanie Wadlington, shared their favorite activities from the week’s events.

“I was most excited for the French immersion day because I’d never talked in French for two hours straight, let alone one whole day,” Bondar said. “It was fun to see how me and everyone else doing it ‘survived’.”

“I was most excited for the music in the hallways during French Week,” Wadlington responded, while adding, “I’m glad that we were able to share French culture with the school.”

In terms of the week’s involvement in garnering interest in all things French here at Elk Grove, Fletcher doesn’t know “if it encourages people to sign up for the class,” but “it does get some people to join the club.”

And for those now addicted to truffles and nonsensical facial hair, French Club meets every Wednesday after school in room 242.