ACADEMIC PRIZES
2025 Prizes open to ALL juniors/seniors studying French in Connecticut:
The AATF CT Tom Betts Senior Prize - $1000.00
The AATF CT Alberta Conte Junior Prize - $500.00
Winners of AATF-CT & AF-NWCT prizes, recorded over time:
50% = CT public school students
50% = CT private school students
• All Junior/Senior Prize applications will be due by 5:00 pm EST on Saturday, March 1st, 2025.
• Applicants must have a Google account to complete an application (as documents must be uploaded).
• Applicants may not come from a home where French is the primary spoken language and may not have lived or studied in a French-speaking country for more than eight weeks.
• As part of the qualifying process, finalists will be interviewed (via Zoom) in French by a committee of French teachers on Sunday, March 16th, 2025
• Judges will not see applicants' basic personal information (such as name, town, school, teacher, etc.).
Application Process = Easy.
The application process has been streamlined to make it very easy to apply.
There is virtually no work for teachers to do!
Students complete/provide:
• Application form with short essay (See boxes at right.)
• Graded writing sample (an assignment already done as part of class)
• Unofficial copy of high school transcript
Note that there is NO teacher recommendation letter needed.
Any questions?
Please contact AATF Secrétaire Honore Radshaw at hradshaw@gmail.com.
Please complete in GOOGLE DOCS:
(You will need a Google account.)
The CT chapter of the AATF awards annually monetary prizes to one deserving high school junior and one graduating high school senior, currently studying French, from a Connecticut school, who plans to continue studies in French or in a related area. Each current AATF-Connecticut Chapter member may nominate one junior and one graduating senior. The goal of all AATF-CT prizes is to encourage students who are passionate about French to keep pursuing their interests in that area, and funds may be spent however recipients desire.
The Prix Sandi VanAusdal d'Enthousiasme Pour le Français honors Connecticut students of French who embody a passion and enthusiasm for French as exemplified by former AATF-CT Comité Exécutif member Sandra VanAusdal. A French teacher for more than 20 years, Mme VanAusdal brought a love for the French language and culture of the francophone world to her classes every day through engaging cultural and speaking activities.
Recipients of this award exude a similar passion for all things French/francophone; they seek out opportunities to practice speaking French, crave learning more about the francophone world, and demonstrate a profound desire to understand cultures other than their own.
Candidates must be elementary, middle school, high school, or university French students enrolled in a French course this academic year. Each nominating French teacher must be an active member of the AATF-CT for this calendar year. Each teacher may award up to three (3) awards per academic year. (Not an active member? Click HERE to join/renew.)
This prize is FREE for all active AATF members with local Connecticut chapter dues paid for this calendar year.
You can check your membership status at frenchteachers.org/login and logging into your Member Compass.
Student recipients will receive a personalized certificate (delivered electronically to their teacher) that can be printed, shared, and publicized.
Additional prize open to UCONN graduate students planning to pursue a career teaching French:
AATF- CT Prize for a Future Teacher of French - $750
Info HERE. • Deadline April 30, 2025
Les Gagnants des Prix de l’AATF Connecticut et de l’AFNWCT (2020)
In early March, 2020, students from around the state applied for the various prizes offered by the AATF-Connecticut and the Alliance Française of Northwestern CT. High school juniors and seniors completed an extensive application including an original essay in French, another sample of graded writing in French, lists of any French-related activities, travels, or prizes, and other information. A select group of these applicants was then chosen to be interviewed live by a panel of AATF Comité Exécutif members Edouard Smith, Sandi Van Ausdal, and Liz Neger.
Alliance Française of Northwestern Connecticut Senior Prize
Mlle Sienna M. of Bridgewater, CT, student of Mme Heidi Edel of Region 12 (Shepaug Valley Regional High School) was awarded the $500 Alliance Française of Northwestern Connecticut Senior Prize. Sienna’s essay was on ‘Les Misérables’ by Victor Hugo.
AATF Tom Betts Senior Prize Winner
M. Wesley M. of Bedford, NY, student of M. Jon Shee of St. Luke’s School, was awarded the $1000 AATF Tom Betts Senior Prize. A highlight of Wesley’s application was his essay on how the French language and francophone cultures have shaped his life as well as the role they will play in his future at university and beyond.
AATF Alberta Conte Junior Prize Winner
Mlle Emma C. of Northford, CT, student of M. John Lytle of Hopkins School, was awarded the $500 AATF Alberta Conte Junior Prize. Emma’s essay was about how her experiences learning French have impacted her personally and academically.
Félicitations à tous nos gagnants!