Leestown Students Shine in National French Contest

Advanced French students competed in the National French Contest / Grand Concours this spring, and Leestown was Kentucky’s only middle school to have students placing in the state’s Top 10. Five language learners even placed tops in the nation! 

In this annual showdown, students of French in grades 1-12, in all 50 states and abroad, take a written test and compete against students with similar educational backgrounds. They earn a score out of 70 and are ranked accordingly, thus multiple students can earn the same rankings.  

For instance, of the 20 seventh graders in the country earning a first-place national ranking, two were from Leestown. And of the 60 eighth graders receiving the top national ranking, three were from Leestown.  

Congratulations to all of Sara Merideth’s students!

Seventh Grade (3,481 competitors nationwide)

• Beatrice Ntumba - 1st in the nation / 1st in the state / platinum medal
• Asnat Mukeba - 1st in the nation / 1st in the state / platinum medal
• Ravi Biakushila - 2nd in the nation / 2nd in the state / silver medal
• Allegresse Nzeza - 4th in the nation / 3rd in the state
• Angela Mambo - 5th in the nation / 4th in the state
• Enzo Byamungu - 5th in the nation / 4th in the state
• Ben Bartley - 8th in the nation / 6th in the state
• Satcha Martinez Torres - 8th in the nation / 6th in the state
• Kendall Faulkner - 8th in the nation / 6th in the state
• Amelia Branham - 9th in the nation / 7th in the state
• Ethan Vazquez Perez - 9th in the nation / 7th in the state
• Katherine Escobar Lopez - 9th in the nation / 7th in the state
• Saugat Ghimire - 9th in the nation / 7th in the state
• Addison Chadwick DeShon - 10th in the nation / 8th in the state
• Elliott Kimmons - 10th in the nation / 8th in the state
• Freddy Batchanga - 11th in the nation / 10th in the state
• Tille Karr - 11th in the nation / 9th in the state
• Teddy Payne - 12th in the nation  / 10th in the state
• Kimmel Paul - 12th in the nation  / 10th in the state

Eighth Grade (11,073 competitors nationwide)

• Imani Munyakazi - 1st in the nation / 1st in the state / platinum medal
• Tiana Cook - 1st in the nation / 1st in the state - platinum medal
• Grace Mwepu - 1st in the nation / 1st in the state / platinum medal
• Carson Fair - 3rd in the nation / 2nd in the state / gold medal
• Shukrani Fuani - 3rd in the nation / 2nd in the state / silver medal
• Samarth KC - 5th in the nation / 3rd in the state / silver medal
• Charlotte Jones - 6th in the nation / 4th in the state / silver medal
• Landon Taylor - 6th in the nation / 4th in the state / silver medal
• Amaya Covington - 8th in the nation / 5th in the state / silver medal
• Natasha Perez - 8th in the nation / 5th in the state / silver medal
• Rebekah Grace - 9th in the nation / 6th in the state / bronze medal
• Winner Dier - 9th in the nation / 7th in the state
• Juan Morales - 11th in the nation / 7th in the state / bronze medal
• Leo Ventura - 12th in the nation / 8th in the state / bronze medal
• Adrian Ventura - 13th in the nation / 9th in the state

Note: Not everyone earned medals because of the percentile cutoffs in their divisions.