Mary Ellen's gift for languages became evident very early in her own education. She explains, “I loved the sound of the French language right from the beginning and, as more teachers began to tell me I had a gift for it, that inspired me even more. I really believe that people are just given a gift in certain areas because, early on, when I would write in French, it would just flow out of me for pages. It was deeply exciting for me to use this tool to connect with such a wonderful culture and people. It was like a magic key to go in a room where many couldn’t go.”

 

Recently, Mary Ellen led a group of students, faculty and parents on an 11-hour bus trip to Quebec City. They strolled along the St-Lawrence river, participated in winter sports at the Village des Sports, explored Old Quebec City and, of course, sampled French cuisine at several cafes and bistros. Commenting on the trip, Mary Ellen stated, "Just seeing the kids experience being in another country where another language is spoken and a different culture is prevalent was very rewarding...I just loved being in a French speaking country where I could show how passionate I am about making connections with people from different parts of the world."

 

Mary Ellen and her husband, Mark, who serves as Director of Technology, have both taught at Chapin since 1998.