Although not a requirement, taking a language in high school sets you up for success with postsecondary education or simply for life after high school. 

Pleasant Valley offers Spanish, French and Japanese as languages you can take as early as 8th grade. Many students take these classes, but very few do so of their own volition. “I only really took Spanish because my parents told me I needed to to get into college,” said senior Emma Dollins, who is taking Spanish 4 this year. 

Many other students feel similarly to Dollins. They feel obligated to take a language course during high school. They don’t really have a reason for taking a foreign language other than allowing them to apply to colleges that require you to take four years of a language. 

This is a justifiable reason for taking a language. College sets up a very large part of your future, but many students are ignorant to the additional benefits that they may acquire from taking the time to learn a language.

“Someone who speaks a second language will nearly always be hired over somebody who doesn’t,” said Stephanie Risius, a Spanish teacher at Pleasant Valley High School. 

Many jobs need people who speak Spanish, French, or any other language. When businesses have employees that can speak another language, it opens up their possible consumers to people who speak that same language. 

Learning another language has practical uses too. The United States borders Mexico, where Spanish is spoken, and Canada, where French is an official language. Learning either of these languages would make traveling across the border much easier. 

Many people in the United States also speak another language. 13% (57 million people) speak Spanish in the United States, with 42 million of those people speaking Spanish as a first language. With such a large percentage of the population speaking the language, learning Spanish helps to ease communication between different people.  

Students who are already bilingual have seen all the benefits that come from speaking two languages. “It’s fun to be able to switch between languages. Like we can talk about things we don’t want other people hearing.” said junior Constanza Viera, who was raised in a bilingual household. 

Even if you don’t feel like it is necessary to learn a language for the sake of college or your career, learning another language can have sportive benefits as well. Being able to talk to people who come from different countries and speak different languages can help you learn so many new things. 

Learning a second language has many school, work and enjoyment benefits. It can help you communicate with people who speak a different language more easily and help you when you travel to a country that speaks that language. 

To increase your knowledge and the opportunities you have in college and the workforce, taking a second language in high school is a way to set yourself up for success.