The 2025 World Language Fair took place this year on March 1st from 8 AM to 12 PM, and was hosted by Dunbar High School. All French students from Cape Coral High were eligible to compete in any of the 11 competition categories. This year, students competed in competitions such as 3D Projects, 2D Art, and Quiz Bowl, with Cape High students taking first place in Quiz Bowl for the third year in a row.
Seniors Daniela Cortez-Riega and Haruna Mescallado both competed on the French Quiz Bowl team this year.
“But [Quiz Bowl is] really exciting because there’s six categories and then you can make [a team] of up to six people, and what we do is each person takes a category, and you’re in charge of your cards and you have to memorize them,” stated Cortez-Riega.
This was Cortez-Riega’s fourth year competing at the World Language Fair; however it was only her second year on the Quiz Bowl team. “ It was really exciting because this is, well, this is the third year that our team wins first place for Quiz Bowl, but it’s my second year, because I started doing Quiz Bowl junior year,” said Cortez-Riega.
Like Cortez-Riega, Mescallado was a member of the team responsible for knowing French sports information. Mescallado spent the better part of the 2024-2025 school year going through and memorizing the information with their dad.
“I used to study with my dad, where he would have this stack of cards. Ask me the question. I answer,” said Mescallado. “We go through that for, like, the month, [the] entire month before actual competition, and it got to the point, but like, he knew the cards arguably better than I did last year.”
Freshman Laura Acosta competed this year in 2D Art and placed with a superior, the highest level a student can achieve. Her painting was inspired by 19th century impressionism.
“[The original painting] just felt very peaceful when we looked at it, and the colors were very vibrant and also dark,” said Acosta. “There was a lot of contrast [within the background], but it was a very fun thing to do, and it was very calm.”
Acosta stated that she loved being able to incorporate her love of painting with a new culture.
“I love oil painting, and I take any chance I get to paint,” said Acosta. “I was trying to find any art I could find that I found interesting, and I genuinely like impressionism or post Impressionism, and I found that painting and I liked the way it made me feel awesome.”
Cortez-Riega also competed in an artistic category. Her entry into the 3D Projects category was a doll creation of Joan of Arc. She stated that she’s been inspired by Joan of Arc for years, and wanted to do her justice.
“[Joan of Arc’s] just a really inspiring person because she led an army to victory while being like 15 years old. And I really like that,” said Cortez-Riega. “I don’t know why, but like, for, for the past years even before I took French, I’ve always heard about her, so I went into something related to her.”
