We are proud to announce that 13 of the French students have earned national recognition for their exceptional performance on the 2026 National French Contest, Le Grand Concours.
Le Grand Concours is an annual competitive examination sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF). Nearly 100,000 students across all 50 states compete in the event, which evaluates students on their written, oral, and listening comprehension skills in the French language.
Demonstrating a profound command of the language and culture, High Tech students secured an impressive array of top-tier medals and honors:
- Gold Medalists:Iria Viota-Garcia (Grade 9) and [Aarav Shah](mailto:ashah5@hcstonline.org) (Grade 9)
- Silver Medalists: Jenice Pilarte (Grade 9) and Soolim Bae(Grade 10)
- Bronze Medalist: Teo Dierig (Grade 11)
Honorable Mention: Eight additional students were awarded Honorable Mentions for their commendable high scores: Grade 9: Nolah Charles, Rudra Patel, Valerie Pham, [Chahd Ouchani](mailto:couchani2@hcstonline.org), [Joaquin Rodriguez](mailto:jrodriguez3@hcstonline.org), [Samvedh Narayanam](mailto:snarayanam@hcstonline.org), Sara Garcia, and [Allison Lopez](mailto:alopez2@hcstonline.org) (Grade 10)
“I am incredibly proud of these students and their dedication to mastering the French language,” said Dr. Laje Gashi. “We’ve worked tirelessly throughout the school year, and competing on a national stage is no small feat. I am immensely proud of their dedication, and seeing their love for Francophone culture rewarded with these medals is a true joy."
Le Grand Concours aims to stimulate interest in the study of French, promote high standards of language acquisition, and reward the achievements of American students. The remarkable success of these 13 students highlights the strength of the world language program at High Tech High School and the dedication of its student body to becoming global citizens.
About the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF)
The AATF was founded in 1927 and is the largest national association of French teachers in the world, with nearly 10,000 members. Its mission is to promote the study of the French language and Francophone literatures and cultures at all levels.
