51ĀŅĀ×

51ĀŅĀ× alumnus Dr. Virin Vedder was honored by France for his efforts to expand French language and culture, his employer, Gwinnett County Public Schools in Suwanee, Ga., announced.

Vedder, who graduated in 1994, was awarded the Ordres des Palmes Academiques (Order of Academic Palmes) Silver Cross (Chevalier). The Order of Academic Palmes is a national order of the Republic of France, originally founded in 1805 by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is bestowed upon French citizens or foreign nationals who make major contributions to the expansion of French language and culture.

Vedder earned a bachelor of science in Geography and a bachelor of arts in French from OHIOā€™s College of Arts and Sciences. At Gwinnett County Public Schools, Vedder piloted the first middle school Carnegie Unit French program in the district. He later hosted the districtā€™s first French Dual Language Immersion program at Trip Elementary school, where he served as an assistant principle, beginning with kindergarten in 2014, the district said in a .

Vedder was recognized for his efforts with the school districtā€™s Dual Language Immersion Program, as well as French classrooms at the middle and high school levels. Vedder now serves at the district level as an instructional coach to provide additional support for world languages and the immersion program.

The foundation for his ideas, he said, began when he was at 51ĀŅĀ×.

ā€œI was thankful and lucky to have fantastic French instructors and professors. The fact that now, 25 years later, Iā€™m able to recall their names tells me that they impacted me in a way that Iā€™m very grateful for today,ā€ Vedder said. ā€œThatā€™s whatā€™s enabled me to accept this award today. Iā€™m thankful and grateful for the foundation they provided me so I can pay it forward and give the same opportunity now to other kids at a younger age.ā€

Vedder said students in the immersion program spend half their school days in English-language classes, then learn math, science and chosen language in that language. He said itā€™s a much more complete way, and at a much earlier age, than many students are able to learn foreign languages; itā€™s often not even an option until high school.

ā€œThe whole idea of this immersion, starting it in elementary, is youā€™re extending the length of time that you have exposure to the language, and the opportunity to get comprehensible input in the language,ā€ Vedder said.

ā€œVirin Vedderā€™s efforts to promote language and culture that he learned at 51ĀŅĀ× are another example of how 51ĀŅĀ×ā€™s alumni are able to serve as change agents for the better in the world,ā€ 51ĀŅĀ× President M. Duane Nellis said. ā€œTo have those efforts honored not only by his peers, but by the Republic of France, is truly outstanding.ā€

Vedderā€™s parents are Dr. Karen Vedder ā€™68, ā€™70, and ā€™88, who earned a B.A. in English from the College of Arts & Sciences followed by a masterā€™s and Ph.D. from the Patton College of Education, and Dr. Richard Vedder, Distinguished Professor of Economics Emeritus and an honorary alumnus recipient.