Foreign Languages

I don't disagree with fencersmother but a job isn't a bad idea if it's the right job in an environment she would enjoy. Tough to do at 14 because there are a lot of legal restrictions on what they can do.

I "fell" into my first job at 14. Spend a week at Boy's Club Summer camp and had a job for the rest of the summer by the end of the week. I stained the outside of camp buildings, whitewashed fences, and played Tom Sawyer with the campers so I could get an afternoon swim! :D That turned into a job back in town at the Boys Club working in the cloak room.

DS volunteered at 14 at the YMCA Day Camp which was just 2 doors away from home. That turned into a job for the next four summers. Taught him a lot of responsibility and he had a great time with the kids. He enjoys interacting with young kids today. He had some truly wonderful mentors there too. Gentlemen I really admire. I really think it all helped him develop his leadership skills and put him where he is today.

So I wouldn't rule out a job but agree with fencersmother that she still needs to be a kid. But there ARE great jobs for kids.
 
I think a 14 year old, no matter how "mature" would be a bit too young to work in that environment, and frankly, I especially wouldn't want my DAUGHTER to hear all the language that goes on behind the counter (not at Chick-fil-A, of course, and most definitely, not at my daughter's when she's there). Stressful environments, foreign employees, injuries, cars, etc. all add up, and a certain maturity is required.

Bible school helpers are more what I'd had in mind for a 14 year old girl.
 
Any Math is the best. DD did four years of Chinese (Chinese Born Instructor) in high school and majored in Chinese at USNA. Found out in semester in China she was not "fluent" but could get by. Russian Alphabet and Chinese Calligraphy can be very hard.
 
DD hates Football so that would not be a choice for mine.
 
We all had fun at every game but DD had a good nap under the blanket in the stands. Just remember that they are all charged to their accounts for tickets which my DD hated. March On is always great. Next big one was dodging Admirals under the stadium which my DD thought she had to do. I never figured out how they coordinated the Kick Off with Top Gun Launch?
 
Я немного говорю по-русски, это не помогло мне попасть в академию.
(had to break out my beat-up Russian dictionary to make sure I got this correct)

Bottom line...while it's a nice thing to have in your records; especially when we had the cold war and I was able to be (very minorly) involved in START activities...CALCULUS is a much better choice for her right now.

I hit the academy able to speak English, almost fluent Castilian Spanish (I was an exchange student), and a smattering of German, French, and Russian. NONE of them had a thing to do with my appointment (on my second attempt). As an ALO, I'll definitely remark on a students linguistic abilities; especially if a strategic language is involved, but it's not a game breaker, or even a tie maker. Academics rule the game here.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
flieger83 said:
Я немного говорю по-русски, это не помогло мне попасть в академию.
(had to break out my beat-up Russian dictionary to make sure I got this correct)

Bottom line...while it's a nice thing to have in your records; especially when we had the cold war and I was able to be (very minorly) involved in START activities...CALCULUS is a much better choice for her right now.

I hit the academy able to speak English, almost fluent Castilian Spanish (I was an exchange student), and a smattering of German, French, and Russian. NONE of them had a thing to do with my appointment (on my second attempt). As an ALO, I'll definitely remark on a students linguistic abilities; especially if a strategic language is involved, but it's not a game breaker, or even a tie maker. Academics rule the game here.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
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Thank you sir. Nice Russian! We just signed her up for next years courses and will focus on the Calculus track and forgo Russian. Almost everyone on here seems to agree math and core classes is where it is at. She will be fully fluent in (Writing and Speaking) German and French so the language requirement will already be more than achieved. Thanks for the advice!!!
 
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jeffinCharlotte said:
Hello,

I am dad to a 14 year old 8th grader. She has two dreams. To either go to the Air Force Academy or own a Chick fil A franchise. The first is more realistic believe it or not so that leads to my question.

She is fluent in two foreign languages-German and French. She has been in a language immersion school since kindergarten. Been in German since K and French since 6th grade. She has an opportunity to start a 4th language in 9th grade in Spanish or Russian. Will that benefit her application to know 2 foreign languages or will going for a 3rd language really separate her. The reason is we want to get to calculus by 12th grade and a 3rd foreign language won't make room for that. So get to calculus or really excel at foreign languages?

Thanks for your time,

Jeff
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She can do both. Our local chic fil a is owned by a West Point grad.
 
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