(Carbondale, IL—May 28, 2008) The American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) has announced that High Tech’s Kaitlin Owens, a resident of North Bergen, has earned the 2007-2008 AATF Outstanding Senior in French Award, announced Principal Karol Brancato.

Owens, a member of the National French Honor Society and High Tech French Club, has competed in the National French Contest and has studied for four years under the guidance of Laje Gashi, High Tech’s French teacher.

The AATF Award, bestowed annually to select seniors who study French, recognizes a student’s exceptional commitment to the French language and the many cultures that speak it.  Recipients of the award must have completed at least three years of French study at the time of graduation and be non-native speakers of French.  

Founded in 1927, the AATF has as its mission the promotion of the study of French language, literatures, and cultures at all levels.  Since its inception, the AATF has acknowledged the achievements of outstanding students and their teachers and has sought to motivate students to continue their French studies either through a career in teaching or as a complement to any other profession.