In late spring 2007, FLCSD had the honor of conferring Virginia Garo Keaneawards, with scholarships, on two young but already accomplished applicants, both students of French.

Nicole Pedroarena-Leal attended Francis Parker, where she studied with Irina Dorfman. Her activities and honors there are literally too numerous to list in this amount of space, but of note was her tenure as French Honor Society president. In her application packet she shared plans to attend New York University and double-major in neuroscience and French.

Nicole also shared what language study has meant to her: "The French language courses taken during my four years in high school and the various experiences cherished in the presence of foreign language have
cemented the personal belief that language increases and enriches the potential and understanding of each student as an individual and scholar. As plans for the future, concerning both studies and personal life, change and evolve with the growing interests that new experiences and acquaintances
bring, I rest confident that [my] commitment to language will [stay strong] not only because of the interest I hold for the study of language but because of the necessity of achieving a deeper level of understanding for an increasingly interconnected society."

In a thank you letter to the FLCSD Board, Nicole added: "Although the [high school] course work, class assignments, and presentations for my studies have ended, the knowledge that language forms an essential
part of my life has elevated. I would like to extend sincere gratitude to the members of the Foreign
Language Council of San Diego for granting me the 2007 Student Scholarship. The recognition the award offered served to affirm my dedication and commitment to the study of foreign language."

In one of those dilemmas one doesn't mind having, FLCSD had trouble choosing between two eminently qualified applicants, and so simply named a second winner. This second scholarship recipient was Heeyoung Cho, student of Jackie Wight at Rancho Bernardo High School. While at RBHS, Heeyoung distinguished herself in the areas of math/science/ engineering while maintaining her "A" average in French, playing violin for the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, serving in her school student senate, and doing both paid and volunteer work throughout the four years.

Heeyoung wrote of her plans to major in molecular biology, and to become a pharmacist. But not just any pharmacist, she explained - rather, one capable of being a "helping hand to the world." To this end she has set herself the goal of finding a cure for one of the illnesses that plagues impoverished
peoples: AIDS, malaria... And for this, she believes she'll need languages above and beyond the English, Korean, Chinese and French she already speaks, both for communication and for varied perspectives and openness - to new ideas, to ancient methods - that may serve in her work.

Heeyoung expected her home for the next eight or more years would be UC Berkeley. She said she was sure her dream was worthy of this investment of time and hard work.

FLCSD is privileged to reward the achievements and in some small way to nurture the enormous potential of these scholarship winners.