Class Celebrates French Culture With Contest

WEBUTUCK — Webutuck High School teacher Cheryl Benken’s French class celebrated the Mardi Gras holiday Tuesday with an eating contest.

Five students scarfed down plates of sweets.

The one to finish the platter the fastest was dubbed champion.

"We’ve been doing this for the past 23 years," said Benken. "Mardi Gras is a French, as well as American, holiday. It’s also universal because it’s celebrated in countries like Brazil."

The eating contest became a tradition because it was the only Mardi Gras-related activity "we could get away with," the teacher said. "We don’t want to get the kids in trouble."

Benken’s students have been selling beads for the past week to raise money for a trip to the island of Martinique.

The students, as well as Benken, take flight the end of next month.

Webutuck student Hannah Peters won the eating contest.

Her prize? A plastic-and-felt miniature pig.

"Since it was an eating contest, I thought it was appropriate," Benken said, adding that the animal plays a very important role in French culture. "They find truffles in the ground. Pigs are highly respected in France."

Senior Paige Robertson said downing sweets in the contest was great fun.

"It was cool, but now I feel fat," she said with a chuckle. "It was good, though. I really feel the spirit of Mardi Gras."

The student is waiting with bated breath for the trip to Martinique, which begins on March 30.

"I’m really excited. I’ve never been on a plane before," she said.

Last week, the students in Benken’s class voted on who should be the "king" and "queen" of the contest.

Students Alex Kravchuk and Tara Howard were royalty this past Tuesday morning.

"I’m the king!" Kravchuk declared.

"He’s the king by divine right," joked Levi Belliveau.

Like Robertson, Meghan Schneider, a junior, is excited about the trip.

"We’re going to go scuba diving and take a kayak trip through the mangroves," she said, guessing that her good grasp of the French language should help her converse with locals. "It’s really helpful."

The students will prepare for the diving portion of the trip by taking lessons at the Maplebrook School’s pool.

The trip is not the only French-themed event Benken has planned for the month of March.

On March 2, her eighth-grade class will seek out Gallic items at Amenia’s Freshtown supermarket and use them to plan a picnic, as well as a 10-course meal.

Additionally, Benken’s older students will take a trip to Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School in Pine Plains for a viewing of the play "Beauty and the Beast."

"That’s some of the activities we have planned for foreign language month," Benken noted, referring to next month.

WEBUTUCK — Webutuck High School teacher Cheryl Benken’s French class celebrated the Mardi Gras holiday Tuesday with an eating contest.

Five students scarfed down plates of sweets.

The one to finish the platter the fastest was dubbed champion.

"We’ve been doing this for the past 23 years," said Benken. "Mardi Gras is a French, as well as American, holiday. It’s also universal because it’s celebrated in countries like Brazil."

The eating contest became a tradition because it was the only Mardi Gras-related activity "we could get away with," the teacher said. "We don’t want to get the kids in trouble."

Benken’s students have been selling beads for the past week to raise money for a trip to the island of Martinique.

The students, as well as Benken, take flight the end of next month.

Webutuck student Hannah Peters won the eating contest.

Her prize? A plastic-and-felt miniature pig.

"Since it was an eating contest, I thought it was appropriate," Benken said, adding that the animal plays a very important role in French culture. "They find truffles in the ground. Pigs are highly respected in France."

Senior Paige Robertson said downing sweets in the contest was great fun.

"It was cool, but now I feel fat," she said with a chuckle. "It was good, though. I really feel the spirit of Mardi Gras."

The student is waiting with bated breath for the trip to Martinique, which begins on March 30.

"I’m really excited. I’ve never been on a plane before," she said.

Last week, the students in Benken’s class voted on who should be the "king" and "queen" of the contest.

Students Alex Kravchuk and Tara Howard were royalty this past Tuesday morning.

"I’m the king!" Kravchuk declared.

"He’s the king by divine right," joked Levi Belliveau.

Like Robertson, Meghan Schneider, a junior, is excited about the trip.

"We’re going to go scuba diving and take a kayak trip through the mangroves," she said, guessing that her good grasp of the French language should help her converse with locals. "It’s really helpful."

The students will prepare for the diving portion of the trip by taking lessons at the Maplebrook School’s pool.

The trip is not the only French-themed event Benken has planned for the month of March.

On March 2, her eighth-grade class will seek out Gallic items at Amenia’s Freshtown supermarket and use them to plan a picnic, as well as a 10-course meal.

Additionally, Benken’s older students will take a trip to Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School in Pine Plains for a viewing of the play "Beauty and the Beast."

"That’s some of the activities we have planned for foreign language month," Benken noted, referring to next month.