Students Compete in UW’s Annual World Languages Day

Two hundred eighty-five students and 30 teachers representing 14 junior high and high schools from across Wyoming participated in the University of Wyoming’s annual World Languages Day (WLD) competition March 1-2.

WLD is Wyoming’s state championship of foreign language study, hosted by UW’s Department of Modern and Classical Languages. This year’s theme was “history.”

“World Languages Day is not just about competition; it’s about connection,” says organizer Bénédicte Sohier, a senior lecturer in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages. “It’s about coming together as a community to celebrate our shared love for language and culture. And what better place to do so than at Wyoming’s only four-year university, a place that embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery.”

More than 200 students competed in linguistics competitions in five languages, while 118 shared their artistic talents in a People’s Choice Award art competition. Students submitted writings -- poems, essays and short stories -- as well as edited videos.

“I loved watching my students express their enthusiasm for language learning and culture through art, competitions, workshops, tours, crafts, shows, and the list goes on,” says Renee Fritzen, a Spanish teacher at Campbell County High School in Gillette. “WLD is fantástico!”

UW interns led students on campus tours and facilitated five night activities, including Zumba, a visit to the Geological Museum, karaoke, world trivia, a planetarium show and linguistics Olympiad for juniors and seniors.

For the main event, students participated in a poetry and drama contest in multiple categories depending on level and language.

Additionally, there were 10 resource tables and 11 workshops offered, with students rotating through five of these. These opportunities generated excitement and engagement in a diverse array of languages, cultures and countries, such as Arabic, Italian, Peru, Chinese, French, Chile, German, Japanese, Spanish and Lingala.

This year’s winners, listed by schools they represent, are:

Campbell County High School, Gillette

Melanie Melendez, Spanish Intermediate Poetry, first place; McKinlee Franzen, Spanish Intermediate Poetry, first place; Vivian Lee, Spanish Intermediate Poetry, third place; Kimberly Rogel Torres, Spanish Advanced Poetry, first place; Madison Melinkovich, Spanish Advanced Poetry, second place; Wade Anderson, Spanish Advanced Poetry, third place; Aiden Engel, Spanish Intermediate Short Story, second place; Claire Kern, Spanish Intermediate Short Story, second place; Danna Vilchiz, Spanish Advanced Short Story, first place; Janvir Shah, Spanish Intermediate Essay, second place; Adam Gibson, Michael Biggs, Lane Hladky, Jackson Evans, Trent Rosenau and Santiago Becerra, Spanish Group Edit Video, first place; Vivian Lee, Lanae Kimbley, Patience Smith, Rylie Walker, Payge Riedesel and Haylea Anderson, Spanish Group Edit Video, second place; Hayden McHugh, German Level 1 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; Grady Younkin, Spanish Level 4 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; Danna Vilchiz, Spanish Level 5 Individual (In-Person Competition), second place; Jade Benson and Audrey Tibbs, Drawing-People’s Choice Award, third place; Samantha Torres, Sculpture-People’s Choice Award, first place; and Myra Garcia-Uribe, Sculpture-People’s Choice Award, third place.

Cheyenne Central High School

Quincy Dereemer, Spanish Intermediate Essay, first place; Christina Loring and Alexis Carter, Spanish Intermediate Essay, third place; Jaysie Estep and Allie Yocum, Spanish Group Edited Video, third place; Savannah Van Houten, Individual Spanish Edited Video, second place; Kamran Kempter-Jones, French Level 4 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; and Andrew Lance, French Level 4 Individual (In-Person Competition), second place.

Cheyenne East High School

Julian Edmunds, German Level 2 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; Chloe Grace Fitzgerald, Spanish Intermediate Poetry, second place; Kaylee Fisbeck, Spanish Individual Edited Video, first place; Paloma Aragó, Spanish Level 5 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; and Luis Felipe Azúa Valdes, Spanish Level 5 Individual (In-Person Competition), second place.

Cheyenne South High School

Aris Shank, German Level 4 (In-Person Competition), first place.

Cody High School

Josh Bradford, Drawing-People’s Choice Award, second place.

Cody Middle School

Anna Wille, Spanish Level 1 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; and Colby Beardall and Rose Whelan, Spanish Level 1 Individual (In-Person Competition), second place.

CY Middle School, Casper

Scarlett Collier, Chinese Level 4 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; Kelson Murray, Chinese Level 4 Individual (In-Person Competition), second place; Carter Hartl and MacKenzie Cage, Chinese Level 4 Individual (In-Person Competition), third place; Madison Zeller and Joseph “Charlie” McGinley, Chinese Level 5 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; Athan Erdman, Milenka Wasilik, Addison Graham and Jamison Decker, Chinese Level 4 Group (In-Person Competition), first place; Addison Lowndes, Russian Level 1 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; Bear Lake, Russian Level 1 Individual (In-Person Competition), second place; Ryley Harris, Russian Level 1 Individual (In-Person Competition), third place; Addison Youmans, Spanish Level 1 Individual (In-Person Competition), third place; Zach Schrader, Spanish Level 2 Individual (In-Person Competition), first place; Anabel Shosh and Delaney Wade, Spanish Level 2 Small Groups (In-Person Competition), first place; Kinsley Green and Keyelyn Merdink, Spanish Level 2 Small Groups (In-Person Competition), second place; and Henesis Guzman and Miranda Montes Velazquez, Spanish Level 4 Small Groups (In-Person Competition), first place.

Davis Middle School, Evanston

Kymbree Mitchell, Spanish Novice Poetry, first place; Isabella Martin, Bellatrix McGuire, Ashlee Rae and Nash Taggart, Spanish Level 1 Small Groups, third place; and Isacc Hogman, People’s Choice Award-Photography, first place. Additionally, the group La Música y el Baile de la República Dominicana earned second place for Spanish Level 1 (Large Groups), while El Himno Nacional de España received third place.

Evanston Middle School

Cristina Sanchez, Angelic Romero and Shania Martin, Spanish Level 1 Small Groups (In-Person Competition), first place; Randi Mair, Jordyn Hughes, Kylee Nelson and Larken Meyer, Spanish Level 1 Small Groups (In-Person Competition), second place; Henry Lester, Zachary Hills and Beckett Johnson, Spanish Level 1 Small Groups (In-Person Competition), third place; and Kylee Nelson, Sculpture-People’s Choice Award, second place. Additionally, the group The History of Mexico Through Song and Dance received first place for Spanish Level 1 (Large Groups).

McCormick Junior High School, Cheyenne

Iris Beadles and Josephine O’Hara, French Level 1 Group (In-Person Competition), first place; and Sydney Rentz, Mixed Media-People’s Choice Award, third place.

Thunder Basin High School, Gillette

Levi Dosch, German Novice Poetry, first place; and Aurooi Khan, Mixed Media-People’s Choice Award, second place.

Twin Spruce Junior High School, Gillette

Brycen David Hardesty, Spanish Intermediate Short Story, first place; Abel Mendoza Martinez, Maria Gutierrez, Lyla Burg and Samantha Ontiveros, Spanish Intermediate Short Story, second place; Cooper Lang and Alan Godinez, Spanish Intermediate Short Story, third place; Baxter Boothe, Spanish Individual Edited Video, third place; Charli Watt, Kennedy Caffee, Analee Norton and Nelli Garcia, Spanish Level 2 (In-Person Competition), third place; Kathryn Holden, Mixed Media-People’s Choice Award, first place; Mallaree Baker, Drawing-People’s Choice Award, first place; Eisley Clark, Painting-People’s Choice Award, first place; Egan Lambert and Miayah Lopez, Painting-People’s Choice Award, second place; and Olivia Gilbertson, Painting-People’s Choice Award, third place.