Panelists Dekker Buckley, Amy Sestito, Claudia De Bonte, and Gianna Maita made a presentation on “World Language in Our Community” at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional on January 12th.
Press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
On January 12, a “standing-room only” crowd of students at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School were treated to an illuminating presentation by the school’s World Language Department.
Students who elected to attend during Study Hall Period were able to share in the insights of four special guest panelists, who spoke on the topic of “World Language in Our Community,” with an emphasis on the many benefits of studying world languages.
Serving as panelists were Dekker Buckley, who serves as Vice President-Director, Latin American Zone, for the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies; Claudia De Bonte, a New Jersey-based attorney who worked in France for Polo Ralph Lauren/Poloco; Gianna Maita, an RFH Class of 2011 graduate with proficiency in French, Italian, Spanish, and Afrikaans, and Amy Sestito, co-founder of the groundbreaking and award-winning parenting magazine The Family Groove.
“I encourage you to learn a world language, or several, because it will make you a better communicator and you will be exponentially more successful than those who don’t,” said
Sestito, whose business psa3 serves as a “one-stop shop” for public service announcement campaigns that are broadcast throughout the U.S. and Canada.
“Having that language skill was the only reason that opportunities were offered to me,” said De Bonte. “I did not consider myself bi-lingual, just proficient – but my French language skills made the difference when upper management was looking to fill junior management positions.”
“Get out of the ‘uncomfortable’ zone and just start speaking a new language,” advised Buckley, who arrived in Mexico City for Chubb with a limited knowledge of Spanish and now speaks
fluent Portuguese as well. “People would rather hear you give it a try and mess up words in their own language than hear you speaking English. “
“People will ‘open up’ to you a lot more when you speak their language, and that was especially helpful when I needed to conduct interviews,” said Maita. “If you practice speaking a language outside of the classroom, even with your peers, that practice is really valuable and will pay off later on.”
“Speaking their native language really tells a person that you care about their culture, and is important not only professionally but also for promoting world peace and empathy.”
The event was spearheaded by RFH French Teacher Christine Berg and RFH Spanish Teacher Seth Herman, who expressed gratitude to the panelists for sharing their time and expertise with the students.
Additional “World Language in Our Community” Panel Discussions are planned for the future. Those interested in participating as panelists are asked to contact RFH World Language
teachers Christine Berg ([email protected]) or Seth Herman ([email protected]) for additional information.
