Candace Casimir, a junior at Mepham High School in the Bellmore-Merrick Central School District, recently won first place in a national essay contest sponsored by the Bilingual Fair and French Morning, a web magazine dedicated to French people living in the United States.
The contest was open to all world language middle and high school students in the Tri-State Area and California. Casimir has studied French since seventh grade and speaks French Creole at home, as her parents are of Haitian origin.
“Candace wrote a thoughtful and vivid essay about the positive impact of bilingualism on her life and academics,” said teacher Charlotte Hayes.
The prize for Casimir’s award-winning essay is $400, while Mepham will also receive an additional $250.