Ooh Là Là! NKHS Students Say Bonjour to French Immersion

Imagine this: you’re in Bellingham, WA, surrounded by new faces. The catch? Every single conversation is happening in French. No English allowed. You need to introduce yourself, order your lunch, collaborate on a project, and maybe even sing a song or two — all en français.

That was the challenge — and the joy — for six advanced French students from North Kitsap High School, who attended French Immersion Camp 2025 thanks to a grant from the North Kitsap Schools Foundation.

A Weekend of Language and Adventure

For two days, students dove headfirst into the French language. From morning greetings to late-night games, they practiced speaking, listening, and collaborating entirely in French. They cooked together, sang together, played together — and discovered that language is more than vocabulary and grammar. It’s connection.

One highlight? A camper beamed when camp teachers complimented their accent as “authentic.” That little ooh là là! moment boosted their confidence and showed how practice back at NKHS had prepared them for the real world.

Learning That Lasts

Teacher Lola Haveman, who led the group, saw firsthand the impact of immersion:

“When students can use the target language successfully in a new setting, they are challenged in new ways and experience exponential growth. These bright and talented students had an opportunity they would not have had on their own — and they thrived.”

The grant even stretched further than expected. With the leftover funds, the French program will add a classroom set of French readers, ensuring that the momentum continues long after camp. More stories, more voices, more growth.

Why This Matters

The French Immersion Camp wasn’t just a weekend away — it was a powerful reminder of what learning can look like when staff dream big and the community invests in those dreams.

This is exactly why the Foundation exists: to bring innovative ideas to life. From salmon hatcheries, to planetariums, to robotics… to French immersion camps — NKSF grants turn creativity into opportunity.