For Hub City Times

MARSHFIELD — Eighteen students who are studying French at Marshfield High School and Marshfield Middle School competed at the State French Speaking Competition sponsored by the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French on May 14 at Arrowhead High School in Hartland. Over 250 high school and middle school French students participated at the event.

Marshfield High School participants earned 12 gold medals and two silver medals. Marshfield Middle School students earned three gold medals and one silver medal.

The French students started preparing for the competition in February before and after school with their French teachers. Students competed in the categories of Poetry, Prose, Théâtre de Chambre, and Music.

Earning gold medals from Marshfield High School were:

—Abbie Ryta and Olivia Page (Poetry Level 1).

—Haley Steines (Poetry Level 4).

—Michaela Schar (Prose Level 5).

—Skylar Faber, Olivia Heinzen, Sean Bailey, Micah Houk, Nathaniel Ronan, Makayla Carle, Audrianna Scheppler, and Aliyah Grammatikopoulous (Théâtre de Chambre Level 2).

Earning gold medals from Marshfield Middle School were:

—Nina Hashimoto and Natasha Bacon (Poetry Level 1).

—Eben Lonsdale (Music Level 1).

Brianna Meyer and Aylin Villalba from Marshfield High School and Jordin Blachut (Music Level 1) from Marshfield Middle School won silver medals.