Alumni of Italian students of SKHS
Ciao! Mi chiamo Laura G.!!!
I'm the one on the right!
Currently I'm still in the beautiful state of Rhode Island! You could say I didn't get very far but I'm just saving my money so I can travel the world once I figure out what what I want to do with my life!
I'm enrolled in the University of Rhode Island and living on campus. I think everyone needs to have the "college experience" at some point in their life so, even though I live ten minutes away, I decided to live on campus at least one year just to say i've done it. Also, because I'm entered as an undeclared major, URI was a cheaper option than all the other schools I had applied to. If you're not sure what you want to study in college I highly recommend URI or CCRI for at least your first year.
There are a lot of study abroad possibilities throughout college an every upper classmen I've talk to here has said that they highly recommend doing it if you can. I personally plan on working to save up money and study abroad during a spring semester of college in either Italy or England and then travel in Europe and stay with friends that live there for the rest of the summer! Che fantastico!
URI offers both an Italian major and Minor and I've heard the program is amazing! I've also talked to some of the italian professors and they all seem super nice and just as energetic as the amazing italian program at SKHS.
I look back and I'm so grateful that I stuck with Italian all four years at SKHS. It's made me feel closer with my heritage and I've met some awesome foreign exchange students through out the years and we have a common bond of speaking italian. A lot of my favorite italian memories, however, happened outside of the classroom. The italian club events were always so much fun!!! and after a while they just became tradition. Some of my favorite memories was also being able to apply my Italian outside of the classroom. I was surprised at how much Italian I knew without realizing it. Overall the people I met and teachers I was lucky enough to have were just the best thing that could've happened to me in high school. I hope to continue studying Italian as well as other languages and I'll always look back to the pazzo times in italian class.
I'm the one on the right!
Currently I'm still in the beautiful state of Rhode Island! You could say I didn't get very far but I'm just saving my money so I can travel the world once I figure out what what I want to do with my life!
I'm enrolled in the University of Rhode Island and living on campus. I think everyone needs to have the "college experience" at some point in their life so, even though I live ten minutes away, I decided to live on campus at least one year just to say i've done it. Also, because I'm entered as an undeclared major, URI was a cheaper option than all the other schools I had applied to. If you're not sure what you want to study in college I highly recommend URI or CCRI for at least your first year.
There are a lot of study abroad possibilities throughout college an every upper classmen I've talk to here has said that they highly recommend doing it if you can. I personally plan on working to save up money and study abroad during a spring semester of college in either Italy or England and then travel in Europe and stay with friends that live there for the rest of the summer! Che fantastico!
URI offers both an Italian major and Minor and I've heard the program is amazing! I've also talked to some of the italian professors and they all seem super nice and just as energetic as the amazing italian program at SKHS.
I look back and I'm so grateful that I stuck with Italian all four years at SKHS. It's made me feel closer with my heritage and I've met some awesome foreign exchange students through out the years and we have a common bond of speaking italian. A lot of my favorite italian memories, however, happened outside of the classroom. The italian club events were always so much fun!!! and after a while they just became tradition. Some of my favorite memories was also being able to apply my Italian outside of the classroom. I was surprised at how much Italian I knew without realizing it. Overall the people I met and teachers I was lucky enough to have were just the best thing that could've happened to me in high school. I hope to continue studying Italian as well as other languages and I'll always look back to the pazzo times in italian class.
Ciao! My time in the South Kingstown Italian program is one that I will remember my whole life. It still follows me even into college. Signorina Magliari and Signora Coutcher made Italian during my four years at SKHS. I went to Italy the summer of my Junior year which helped with my Italian skills and aided in building positive memories I will have the rest of my life. I am currently enrolled as a freshman at University of Maine, majoring in Animal Science. My daily routine includes milking cows and avoiding the cold. I received an academic scholarship, and took the college credit of Honors Italian IV. I would highly recommend that students take full advantage of the wonderful teachers that are available through the Italian program, get involved in the Italian Club, and maybe even volunteer to be La Befana. So many great memories in Italian, I would not trade for the world…
Con amore,
Gina (Emma) Christian
University of Maine Orono
Freshman, Majoring in Animal Science
Graduated SKHS 2010
Con amore,
Gina (Emma) Christian
University of Maine Orono
Freshman, Majoring in Animal Science
Graduated SKHS 2010
Ciao tutti! The SKHS Italian program is really one to remember. Many would agree that learning a new language can be intimidating and difficult, but Signorina Magliari and Signora Coutcher were always there to help and encourage their students to succeed. At SKHS, it was never about memorizing words, so that they would be forgotten. Instead, it was more important to understand exactly what we were learning. To help study the Italian culture, Signorina and Signora would transform the classroom into an Italian caffè, or into the streets of Rome! Every activity was memorable! The Italian program at SKHS is one I will never forget, and hopefully at some point, I will be able to further my studies in Italian! Grazie Mille!
Lia Gianna DiMillio
South Kingstown High School Class of 2010
Rhode Island College, Majoring in Radiology
Lia Gianna DiMillio
South Kingstown High School Class of 2010
Rhode Island College, Majoring in Radiology
My experiences in the Italian program at SKHS were very enjoyable. Signorina Magliari and Signora Coutcher made Italian an exciting language to learn with their constant enthusiasm and fun activities. I have to say I loved doing the "holiday present projects" every year :). I especially loved learning about Italy's culture because my life goal was to eventually travel to the beautiful country. However, I never would have imagined that my goal could become a reality so quickly! I am so very lucky Signorina gave me and a group of other students a chance to travel to Italy and Spain for the summer of 2009. The ten day journey through the two countries definitely made that summer the best one yet! Learning Italian at SKHS helped prepare me for Italian at the college level. I am taking Italian for the first time in college this semester and I feel very prepared! Grazie Signorina!!
-Maddie Box (class of 2009)
I am a student at the University of Rhode Island majoring in business and minoring in communications.
-Maddie Box (class of 2009)
I am a student at the University of Rhode Island majoring in business and minoring in communications.
I am currently at the University of Rhode Island. I am majoring in Italian, and plan to begin studying Spanish next semester as a minor or possibly a double major! I would love to work for the state or even in Italy someday as an interpreter. I work at the Academic Enhancement Center as an Italian tutor and I am the president of C.I.A.O. (Cultural Italian American Organization). Thanks to the ideas I got from Italian Club in high school, the meetings have been very successful! I hope to study abroad next year if all goes as planned! I would not be as excited and confident about my Italian classes at the University had it not been for my amazing teachers and classmates in high school. My favorite memories of Italian class with Signorina are her crazy stories about her obsession with Jovanotti!! If it weren't for you, I probably would have never heard my favorite song, "Domani", with all of the beautiful Italian cantanti! Grazie Signorina per tutto!
Samantha Sullivan (aka- Adriana)
Samantha Sullivan (aka- Adriana)
Ciao! I originally attended the University of Tampa in Florida, but transferred to the University of Rhode Island for Spring 2010. Currently, I am double majoring in English Literature and Writing and Rhetoric with a minor in Theater, but I still find time to take a couple of Italian courses when they are available. As an English major, I unfortunately will not be able to study abroad in Italy, but I will hopefully be spending next year at the University of Reading in England! I have so many amazing memories from Italian class that I can't choose just one: Signorina Magliari and Signora Coutcher made learning the language exciting and fun. During the Summer of 2009, I had the privilege to travel to Italy and Spain with a few of the language department staff and some classmates -- a trip I will never forget! Italian has become a major part of my life and I hope to incorporate it into my life as I continue on through college and beyond.
Non siamo cosi soli!
-Christine (Cristina) Cauchon
SKHS class of 2009
Non siamo cosi soli!
-Christine (Cristina) Cauchon
SKHS class of 2009
"Ciao a tutti! Currently I am a sophomore at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, majoring in International Studies and will most likely minor in Italian. I loved taking Italian at SK; I had four amazing years alternating levels with Signora Coutcher (1 & 3) and Signorina Magliari (2 & 4). Some of my favorite moments from SK include both memories from Italian Class as well as the Italian Club. If it wasn’t for the Italian Club, I would have never started Emory’s Italian Club, which has recently been charted as an official organization on campus. In class, I really enjoyed working on skits, which not a lot of Italian classes do, as well as contributing food for potlucks we had over the years. Although you learn a great deal of conversational Italian in the classroom, you also learn about culture, history, tradition, art, and literature of Italy. During my senior year at SK, I received a scholarship from the Grand Lodge of Italy - Sons of Italy Organization, who gave scholarships to both middle school and high school students. As for study abroad, I'm considering going to Italy this summer or sometime next year for a
semester to study. I hope you consider taking Italian at SK, I highly recommend it.”
Jeffrey “Dante” Chen
Atlanta, Georgia
Emory University
Class of 2013
International Studies Major
Italian Minor
Social Chair of the Emory Italian Club
semester to study. I hope you consider taking Italian at SK, I highly recommend it.”
Jeffrey “Dante” Chen
Atlanta, Georgia
Emory University
Class of 2013
International Studies Major
Italian Minor
Social Chair of the Emory Italian Club
Mi chiamo Patrick (Patrizio) Hayes
Ciao tutti! I am an alumnus of SKHS class of 2010. I now go to Ithaca College where I placed into high level Italian courses. My first Italian course at IC was a 19th and 20th century Italian literature class where we read everything from Italian short stories to full length novels and plays (all in Italian of course). I declared an Italian minor during Fall 2010 semester. I absolutely loved all of my Italian classes at SKHS (grazie Signora e Signorina!) and I would definitely say my favorite class memories are bocce in hazard field, the mid-jump class pictures, and our senior trip to sweet cakes. No study abroad news as of yet (but I'm hoping there will be).
Arrivederci tutti,
-Patrizio
(photo taken on the Ponte Vecchio)
Ciao tutti! I am an alumnus of SKHS class of 2010. I now go to Ithaca College where I placed into high level Italian courses. My first Italian course at IC was a 19th and 20th century Italian literature class where we read everything from Italian short stories to full length novels and plays (all in Italian of course). I declared an Italian minor during Fall 2010 semester. I absolutely loved all of my Italian classes at SKHS (grazie Signora e Signorina!) and I would definitely say my favorite class memories are bocce in hazard field, the mid-jump class pictures, and our senior trip to sweet cakes. No study abroad news as of yet (but I'm hoping there will be).
Arrivederci tutti,
-Patrizio
(photo taken on the Ponte Vecchio)
The SKHS Italian program has already proved to be a huge help in my college level intermediate Italian class at the University of New Hampshire. I had not realized how much I had learned from the four years with Signorina Magliari and Signora Coutcher, but a lot of the learning came without thinking about it. Not only do I know a lot about the language, the SKHS program encouraged speaking and erased much of the shyness that can come when speaking a new language. While some of my current classmates struggle with conjugations of irregular verbs, I'm trying not to laugh remembering the crazy songs to go with the conjugations that a very enthusiastic Signora Coutcher taught way back in Italian 1. I'm planning to minor in Italian and will hopefully study Italy for a semester Sophomore or Junior year with the UNH program. The SKHS Italian program built a solid platform of vocab, conjugation, culture (especially music), reading and speaking and the classes were some of the best in my high school experience. My favorite Italian class memories include listening to music and creating skits with vocabulary words, bocce and of course, the fantastic Italian club. Signora Coutcher and Signorina Magliari's enthusiasm for the subject was infectious and I'm glad I had the good fortune of learning in such a fun and encouraging environment.
Kerstin Becker
(SKHS class of 2010)
UNH
Kerstin Becker
(SKHS class of 2010)
UNH
"I really enjoyed the whole year of my Italian 4 class!! There are too many things to list!! Almost every class period for the whole year we just laughed and had a great time. I really enjoyed going out for coffee at the end of the year with the whole Italian class, and having all of our festive parties for Carnevale and La Festa di San Valentino! "
Alyssa Hirsbruner
Studying Communications at Eastern Connecticutt State University in Willimantic Connecticutt
Looking into studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland
Alyssa Hirsbruner
Studying Communications at Eastern Connecticutt State University in Willimantic Connecticutt
Looking into studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland
"Ciao! Italian class was always something to look forward to in the average high school day and is still always something to look forward to here at The George Washington University. Since my dorm is right next to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, I hear Italian speakers on a daily basis as I walk to class. Because of the Italian program at SKHS, I am able to understand their conversations as long as it isn't too technical about economics. Italian at SKHS allowed me to skip several classes and enter Intermediate Italian at GWU. As a freshman, I helped many of the other students in the class including seniors. The high school program really helped me establish a basis to improve upon in college.”
Katherine Tsiatas
GWU'14
SKHS'10
Katherine Tsiatas
GWU'14
SKHS'10
Hey!! I am currently at Unity College in Maine, for Environmental Education and Teaching and Learning, which basically means I will graduate with a teaching certification for life sciences for grades 7-12. I loved Italian! It was my favorite class, next to Environmental Biology. I really wish that my school offered it, but I hope to take classes somewhere because in no way would I ever want to lose it. I hope to study abroad, somewhere in Italy of course. : ) It is hard at a small school, but they have given me a Dean's Scholarship. I love my little small school, it is a great community and everyone is fantastic!
My favorite memory in Italian class had to be when I had a sword duel, and also the italian christmas songs, which I still sing everyday. SCENDI DA SCALE! (spelling?). Il gatto manga la pizza! That was a good memory. I also loved being able to experience Italy with you (signorina), it was amazing! I loved it and mi ssed it, and hope to keep it going!
Thanks Signorina!!
un grande abbraccio!! (con un sorriso)
Elisabetta Caporelli SKHS Class of 2009
My favorite memory in Italian class had to be when I had a sword duel, and also the italian christmas songs, which I still sing everyday. SCENDI DA SCALE! (spelling?). Il gatto manga la pizza! That was a good memory. I also loved being able to experience Italy with you (signorina), it was amazing! I loved it and mi ssed it, and hope to keep it going!
Thanks Signorina!!
un grande abbraccio!! (con un sorriso)
Elisabetta Caporelli SKHS Class of 2009
"I really enjoyed the Italian program at SKHS. I learned a lot from the teachers – enough so I can speak well even five years after having graduated. My favorite activities in my Italian classes were watching films, Immersion Day, lessons with music like writing lyrics for certain songs – that was so helpful. Even though I don't use Italian at work, being able to speak another language is definitely valuable. It is a significant characteristic that sets you aside from everyone else. Also, it helps you understand the world a little better."
~ Jenna D'Amico (class of 2003)
URI Graduate – double major; Political Science and Economics with a minor in Italian
She lives in Middletown, CT now and works as a Market Analyst for Legrand North America
~ Jenna D'Amico (class of 2003)
URI Graduate – double major; Political Science and Economics with a minor in Italian
She lives in Middletown, CT now and works as a Market Analyst for Legrand North America
"I really enjoyed my Italian experience at SKHS. It was by far one of my best high school experiences ever. The teachers were amazing, so friendly and outgoing and were very enthusiastic when they taught. They really showed a passion for the language which is why I think that the Italian program at SKHS is so successful. I enjoyed many of the activities that were available while I attended. I, as a previous Befana, loved the La Befana celebration; unfortunately there will never be another one such as myself (Mi dispiace ragazzi!) After my experience at South Kingstown, I continued my Italian studies at the University of Rhode Island. Once leaving AP Italian 4 my senior year, the advisors here at URI immediately signed me up for Intermediate Italian course. I was a bit nervous about it; however, after being in the SKHS Italian program I was well prepared for what the college level threw at me. Right now, I am not taking any Italian courses but I am planning on continuing my education in Italian this spring."
~ Alycia Timothy (class of 2007)
URI Student
~ Alycia Timothy (class of 2007)
URI Student
"The Italian program at SKHS contributed enormously to my current love of the Italian language. Signorina Magliari always found a fun way to practice the language, whether it was through writing poetry or performing plays. I loved watching Italian films in class, going to Immersion Day, and writing Christmas Carols in Italian. I am currently majoring in Italian at Providence College, and entered the program my freshman year at the Intermediate level. The experience in speaking and writing in the language that Signorina provided our classes with prepared me so well that I had a better grasp of the language than some of the sophomores and juniors in my classes! My knowledge of Italian language and culture has contributed so much to my courses in history and art history, and I'm so fortunate to have had the opportunity to become bilingual!"
~ Katherine Egan (class of 2006)
Providence College, 2010
Majors: Italian, Humanities Minor: Art History
~ Katherine Egan (class of 2006)
Providence College, 2010
Majors: Italian, Humanities Minor: Art History
"My experiences in the Italian program at SKHS are among the most memorable from my four years of high school. Signorina Magliari and Signora Coutcher may be ' un poco pazze', but from them I learned a great deal about the Italian language and culture, and my own heritage that I will never forget. Even after a year without studying any Italian, I could remember a great deal more than I thought, and found myself outperforming other students in my intermediate Italian classes. Most importantly, however, the SKHS Italian classes provided me with a comfortable, familiar environment in which to learn; I was immersed in the language, the culture, and in friendship, and for that I owe my Italian teachers and fellow Italian students a sincere 'thank you'."
Grazie mille,
Kilian (Salvatore) Mooney (class of 2007)
URI Student
Photo taken on a boat along the Island of Capri, Italy trip 2006
Grazie mille,
Kilian (Salvatore) Mooney (class of 2007)
URI Student
Photo taken on a boat along the Island of Capri, Italy trip 2006
New update from Kilian (06/09):
"I just got back from a two-month-long backpacking trip across Europe, during which I spent three weeks in Italy. I got to see Roma, Palermo, Sorrento, and Firenze. I'm still surprised at how much I remember; I hardly spoke any English! The people were very friendly, and of course, the food was delicious... I probably ate my own weight in insalata caprese. After I left Italy, I went to Switzerland, where I thought I'd encounter a language barrier, but the people there speak Italian too! It's actually one of their national languages!"
"I just got back from a two-month-long backpacking trip across Europe, during which I spent three weeks in Italy. I got to see Roma, Palermo, Sorrento, and Firenze. I'm still surprised at how much I remember; I hardly spoke any English! The people were very friendly, and of course, the food was delicious... I probably ate my own weight in insalata caprese. After I left Italy, I went to Switzerland, where I thought I'd encounter a language barrier, but the people there speak Italian too! It's actually one of their national languages!"
"My experience with the Italian program at SKHS was nothing short of maginifica! Both Signora and Signorina made my journey into the Italian language a memorable one. My favorite Italian memories include creating outrageous skits with some creative Italian vocab, tie-dying shirts Italian style, being immersed in many aspects of Italian culture (specialmente la musica), and of course... Bocce!! Currently, I'm studying at McGill University in Montreal. Although, I am not continuing my study of Italian, the knowledge I gained at SKHS has been incredibly valuable when it came to adapting to the French culture. I have never studied French; however, I am able to understand and figure out the meanings of many French words, which makes it much easier to communicate and acclimate to the French culture. I will never forget the crazy adventure Signora and Signorina led me on, not to mention the invaluable knowledge I gained along the way!"
Grazie per tutto!
Joanna "Giovanna" Falcone
McGill University, Montreal
Grazie per tutto!
Joanna "Giovanna" Falcone
McGill University, Montreal
“Mi Chiamo Kerry (Giovanna) Yang.
Sono a Harvard University. Sto studiando
l'economia”
“Taking Italian and SKHS was one of my favorite and most rewarding experiences in high school. Learning a new language is rewarding in itself, but the Italian teachers at SK make your Italian class a family from day one. For our Signorina and Signora, learning Italian is not just about memorizing words. Everytime you step into the classroom, you are immersed in the rich culture of Italia. Not only will you conjugate verbs with perfection, but you will also~be an expert~of Italian cuisine, a connoisseur~of Italian opera, and a walking map of the peninsula. In class, we watched Italian films, performed creative dialogues, wrote poetry, and studied the vibrant cultural history of Italy's many cities. Culture aside, Italian is possibly one of the most beautiful languages you will ever encounter. It is cousins with Spanish and French, but it~closer to Latin,~so learning these languages simultaneously or otherwise will be much easier while/after studying Italian. And your SK teachers will do a very good job of making sure your Italian is top notch before you finish high school. Ultimately, I would~highly recommend studying Italian to anyone considering language study at SK.”
Sono a Harvard University. Sto studiando
l'economia”
“Taking Italian and SKHS was one of my favorite and most rewarding experiences in high school. Learning a new language is rewarding in itself, but the Italian teachers at SK make your Italian class a family from day one. For our Signorina and Signora, learning Italian is not just about memorizing words. Everytime you step into the classroom, you are immersed in the rich culture of Italia. Not only will you conjugate verbs with perfection, but you will also~be an expert~of Italian cuisine, a connoisseur~of Italian opera, and a walking map of the peninsula. In class, we watched Italian films, performed creative dialogues, wrote poetry, and studied the vibrant cultural history of Italy's many cities. Culture aside, Italian is possibly one of the most beautiful languages you will ever encounter. It is cousins with Spanish and French, but it~closer to Latin,~so learning these languages simultaneously or otherwise will be much easier while/after studying Italian. And your SK teachers will do a very good job of making sure your Italian is top notch before you finish high school. Ultimately, I would~highly recommend studying Italian to anyone considering language study at SK.”
"I'm now FOUR years out of SKHS, but I still remember my times in Italian class as some of the best. We played bocce on the softball field, we went Christmas caroling around the school, we pitched business ideas to "Bill Gates" (who I remember looked a lot like Signorina), we ate bruschetta and nutella, we dressed up as la Befana and Superdonna, we sang along with Jovanotti, we read baci "fortunes" to each other, we wrote letters to Babbo Natale and poems for the seasons, we studied geography, art, customs, traditions, immigration, history, inventions, explorations, and of course, language. I feel so fortunate to have had two teachers who cared so much about their subject that they were willing to pull out all the stops. Through their energy, time, and most impressively, their enthusiasm, they hooked me on Italian for life. I've exhausted the (minimal) Italian courses at Williams College, but I still thrive on Italian literature and culture, and I look forward to traveling to all the places I learned about. TTTante, tante grazie!"
baci,
Rosa
Meghan Rose Donnelly
Williams College Williamstown, MA
baci,
Rosa
Meghan Rose Donnelly
Williams College Williamstown, MA
I'm a senior at the University of Rhode Island. I'm double majoring in Italian and Wildlife Biology. I started Italian at the 200 level after 4 years of Italian at SKHS with Signora Coutcher and Signorina Magliari. I felt that their excellent teaching really prepared me for college level Italian. In fall of 2008 I spent the semester studying in Ferrara, Italy. It was a really great experience in a beautiful city and helped improve my language skills immensely. One of my favorite memories from high school Italian is actually from after graduation, when I went with Signorina and some other students on a 10 day trip in Italy. It was a fantastic trip and made me realize I wanted to continue studying Italian. I'm really grateful to the education I received in Italian from the great teachers at SKHS!
Kelsey Malloy
University of RI student
More coming soon...
-Where are they now?
-Education after SKHS
-Study abroad news
-Scholarships
-Italian majors/minors
-favorite Italian class memories
Kelsey Malloy
University of RI student
More coming soon...
-Where are they now?
-Education after SKHS
-Study abroad news
-Scholarships
-Italian majors/minors
-favorite Italian class memories