Alliance Française of Tucson

French has been part of the Southwest's cultural mix since 1692. French is a heritage language of the United States, especially in Louisiana and Vermont. There are estimated to be 175 million speakers of French around the world, plus 100 million occasional speakers and 100 million students. The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie has 55 government members and 13 observers, representing 10% of the world population.

French is an official language of Canada, NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), the United Nations, World Health Organization, International Red Cross, International Olympic Committee, other countries and organizations. French is the only language besides English that is taught in every country of the world.

Learning French

By making the effort to learn another language, you show respect for other cultures, open doors to understanding, and have more joie de vivre.

Alliance Française Tucson is developing a business plan to offer French classes for both adults and children as currently done by 70 Alliances in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Alliance Française classes stress a conversational approach in small groups (6-10 students) with a native or near-native professional teacher. The Alliance Delegation in Washington helps with pedagogical advice such as the AF FRAMES guidelines, professional development through workshops, and School Development Grants. Its MERLIN portal offers resources for learners and teachers of French.


Supporting the study and teaching of French in southern Arizona

Since its founding in 1973, Alliance Française Tucson supports the study and teaching of French by participating in educational programs, providing cultural events, and awarding books and scholarships.

Back in 2010! Le Concours de la Semaine de la langue française et de la Francophonie

Alliance Française Tucson invites middle and high school students of southern Arizona, students at Pima Community College, and University of Arizona undergraduates enrolled in French classes, to participate in its contest to celebrate la Semaine de la langue française et de la Francophonie. The international event is held each March, with ten words chosen on a theme to be explored by schools and cultural groups.

The 2010 edition explores the changing language with dis-moi dix mots (tell me ten words): baladeur, cheval de Troie, crescendo, escagasser, galère, mentor, mobile, remue-méninges, variante, zapper.

The 2010 deadline is Friday, March 19, 3:30 pm. For details, please contact Anne-Marie Engels-Brooks or your French teacher.

The 2009 edition showcased des mots pour demain (words for tomorrow): ailleurs, capteur, clair de Terre, clic, compatible, désirer, génome, pérenne, transformer, vision. For the Alliance's first contest, the High school prize was awarded to Sally McCallum at the Alliance March 25 program, and the UA one to Christopher Moller at the Department of French & Italian's May 7 award ceremony. Both wrote original poems using all ten words. They received books and other prizes, made possible in part by a Prize Book Fund grant from the Federation of Alliances Françaises USA. It is the second such grant received by the Tucson chapter, the first having been in 2005.


Participation in PAL (Partnership Across Languages)

Alliance Française Tucson participates in PAL (Partnership Across Languages), a consortium of K-16 language educators sponsored by the College of Humanities of The University of Arizona. Because learning other languages is critical to competing in a global marketplace, PAL is currently advocating for Arizona to have a State World Languages Coordinator as is done in 29 other states.

Each spring, PAL holds the Southern Arizona Language Fair on the campus of The University of Arizona for second language students and their parents and instructors. Students compete in poetry, drama, oral proficiency, art and projects for individual and school awards. Professional artists provide multicultural entertainment, and language-related organizations like AF Tucson have informational booths. The next Language Fair is scheduled for April 10, 2010.

Anavy-Chambers Memorial Scholarship

The Albert Anavy and Frank M. Chambers Memorial Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding senior majoring in French in the University of Arizona Department of French & Italian. Donations from family and friends commemorate two AF Tucson members: Albert Anavy, Professor of Physics & Chemistry at the American University in Beirut and Dr. Frank M. Chambers, Professor of French at The University of Arizona until 1978. The 2009 award was made to Liana Pshevorska, and in 2008, to Amy Baum.


Special membership rate for students & teachers

AF Tucson membership is $10/year for high school students, full-time students or GTAs at The University of Arizona or Pima Community College, and instructors who are currently members of AATF (American Association of Teachers of French). SVP include proof of student status or AATF membership with a new membership or renewal.


Book Awards & Cultural Exchange Scholarship

AF Tucson invites teachers and others to help us update the program in line with current needs and possibilities.

AF Tucson founder Alice Rufenacht started the annual Distribution des Prix to recognize outstanding students of French in area high schools. While the bequest has been depleted over the years, the tradition continued until April 2007, when 24 students from 8 high schools in Tucson Unified School District received French books and dictionaries, and their teachers a copy of The Story of French by Jean-Benoît &Julie Barlow.

From 1985 to 2005, thanks to a bequest from AF Tucson founder Alice Rufenacht and fund-raising efforts, AF Tucson awarded 43 cultural exchange scholarships to high school juniors from 10 area schools to live a month with a family in France, immersed in the culture and language.

Le Concours national

In 2008, the AF Délégation’s annual essay contest le Concours national became le Prix de l'Alliance Française, and the Rotary Academic Prize, both for linguistic stays in Paris, awarded to winners in Le Grand Concours administered each February or March by members of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF).

From 1991 to 2007, AF Tucson coordinated area participation in le Concours national when it was an essay contest for high school students and undergraduates. The chapter forwarded to the Délégation for competition at the national level the best essay in each of four levels, and from 2005 to 2007, AF Tucson awarded books and media to those four students. Local candidates often won national honors and prizes ranging from books to a trip to study at Alliance Française de Paris. For the last three years in a row, 2005-2007, University of Arizona Wildcats got national recognition in Division A for undergraduates studying French three years or more: 2nd, 1st, and 5th places respectively.