French class dives right in, planning for trip abroad

WEBUTUCK — Fifteen-year-old Patrick Hannon loves his French III class at Webutuck High School, where he is a sophomore. For starters, he enjoys the lessons; he also really likes his teacher, Madame Cheryl Benken. But what Patrick is most excited about is an upcoming class trip to the French-speaking island of Guadeloupe, for which he has spent many months preparing.“I’ve always wanted to go explore the world and be in the Caribbean, because of the beautiful water and it’s so amazing down there and so peaceful,” he said.He should know. Though only 15, Patrick is already a world traveler; he’s been to Ireland, Italy, and, yes, the Caribbean — visiting Dominica, St. Martin and Haiti.“It was an adventure,” he said with aplomb. “It was fun.”Undoubtedly. And now, after studying the French language since the seventh grade, his hard work is going to pay off with a trip to the French West Indies right around Thanksgiving. From Nov. 18 to Nov. 26, a group of 26, including 20 French III, IV and V students, Webutuck staff and parent chaperones, will make the trek from the Harlem Valley to their tropical destination. “We are all so excited, I can’t even describe it,” said Benken, who has been teaching French at Webutuck for 28 years. This is her 10th trip abroad; other destinations were Paris, Vietnam, Guadeloupe, New York City and Boston. The international trips usually happen every other year and are open only to French students, unlike trips organized by the German language teacher, who opens his trips to the entire student body.What’s special about trips such as the one planned for November is that the students are prepared for them, even more than they realize, said Benken.“When they get there, they realize they know more than anyone else,” she said, citing an example when her students briefed a college professor on the details of a certain exhibit at a Manhattan museum. “The same thing happens all over the world, because you’ve prepared the kids ahead of time, and when they get there, they’re like, ‘I know this, I can do this,’ and they do it. They really take ownership [of their knowledge].”Having such a command of what they’ve learned in the classroom, as well as out of it, has served as a catalyst for Benken’s students to spread their wings. Such was the case with Patrick. He was the only student among Benken’s classes who pursued obtaining a scuba certification for the trip to Guadeloupe. Scuba diving will be among the activities available during the trip, along with snorkeling. Patrick recently attended scuba classes at The Hotchkiss School in nearby Lakeville, Conn., with instructor Don Mayland. He had to complete two open-water dives in order to pass the certification process, which he did, but not without some challenges.“I had problems with equalizing the pressure in my ears,” he said. “I had to go down slowly in the water instead of going down super fast.”Practice took care of his timing, and the rest came naturally. Patrick said he took to scuba like, well, a duck to water.“I love swimming. I’ve been swimming since I was probably 4,” he said, adding that he swam regularly at the recreation area in Mabbettsville. “It was 9 feet deep and has a diving board and docks. It’s great.”So, too, he said, is the sensation of being in the water. That’s why he expects scuba diving to live up to his expectations.“I’ve always wanted to scuba dive, because I wanted to see everything under water,” Patrick said. “I want to explore sea life and wrecks and reefs. It will be great, because you feel like a fish when you’re under water. It’s cool.”What’s equally “cool,” according to Patrick’s mother, Judy Hannon, is that the teenager has seen what happens when he puts a good effort forward in all he attempts.“I’m so happy he did so well. I told him, if you didn’t take French class this whole opportunity would never have opened up for you,” she said, adding he was originally considering Spanish. “If it wasn’t for Madame Benken, and the kind of woman she is, he wouldn’t have had this chance. That’s why he should never be afraid to do something new, like take French. I’m so proud of Patrick.”“I guess you could say Patrick is the ultimate example of a person moving laterally, into something he really loves, using the tools he’s been exposed to in high school to get where he really wants to go,” Benken said. “He really is the present, ultimate example of a person who is the opportunist of the moment, and it’s so admirable. I really wish that someone had done that for me when I was his age, but that’s really what teachers are supposed to do. You expose the kids to things. You may not open the doors, but you certainly show them the windows. Whether they look through or go through is up to them.”Those opportunities will be presented not only to Patrick, but to his classmates as well come November, when they head to Guadeloupe.“It’s going to be a phenomenal trip for everyone; they’ll get to do some really cool stuff,” said Judy Hannon.But it won’t come cheap. The cost of the trip is roughly $2,500 per student. To help offset that cost, the French Club has been fundraising. On Saturday, Aug. 20, students will be selling food at the Artisan Fair in Millerton, at Simmons’ Way Village Inn on Main Street. There will also be other events to help the students raise money for their trip, including a car wash, raffles, a restaurant night and “flocking” pink flamingos. The French Club is also accepting donations from community businesses. For more information on how to contribute, contact Joanne Boyd at 845-373-7805 or email kjsmbjboyd@optonline.net.

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