‘Cecelia’ is coming home to stay—permanently.

Cecelia is the name of the trophy that travels each year to the home school of the high school team that wins the annual ‘Congres de la Culture Francaise en Floride,’ the state’s pre-eminent competition for students studying French. It will now reside permanently in a trophy case at Eastside High School after the school’s French team recently won its 15^th state championship.

“We’ve won the trophy so many times that the Congres’ state board decided to retire it and give it to the Eastside Congres team permanently,” said Eastside French teacher Kjell Ryerson, who along with colleague Pat Killian coaches the team.

The Eastside Congres team, made up of 25 students, competed against 55 other Florida teams in a wide range of activities, including reading tests, extemporaneous speaking, skits, and a French Brain Bowl. The competition is made up of both individual and team events.

“In order to win the competition, the students have to work hard not only on their own events, but on all the team competitions,” said Killian. “They’ve got to have a team spirit and work together to improve.”

Many of the Eastside students participating in this year’s Congres were veterans, having competed for the last four years since starting as freshman. Senior Sherry Gu, a senior and the school’s French Club president, is one of the students who has spent many, many hours during high school preparing for and attending the Congres.

“It’s a great way to meet people you wouldn’t otherwise meet,” she said. “The Congres also leads to an appreciation of the language and the culture.”

Students prepare for the Congres by coming to after-school practices from December until the competition in April, including three each week in the month before the event. There are also special weekend and evening practice sessions and activities. The group has strong support from the community, with parents, former students and helpers from the University of Florida contributing time to after-school practices.

“It took a lot of practicing, but it’s really satisfying,” said senior Mathew Neu. “I enjoy being able to communicate in another language and enjoy a culture in a manner that it is meant to be appreciated.”

It’s very rewarding to work with such talented and dedicated students,” said Killian. “I’m so proud of all of them—they have a special place in my heart.”