Lexington School District One was recently named a German Center of Excellence by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG).  This is an honor for outstanding staff, curriculum and extra-curricular involvement of teachers and students in the German community.  Lexington One celebrated this honor at the December board meeting. Deerfield Elementary Fourth Grader Theodore A. Ricciardelli welcomed the audience in German, telling them that he is part of the German Immersion program at Deerfield Elementary, and already fluent in English and German.He shared that the district has 21,341 students currently enrolled in one or more foreign language classes and reminded the attendees that there are many reasons to study other languages such as:

• A second language improves your skills and grades in mathematics and English, and on the SAT and GRE.
• Students’ analytical skills, creativity, listening skills and memory improve when they study a foreign language.
• Foreign language study enhances students’ opportunities in government, business, medicine, law, technology, military, industry, marketing, etc.