The Lycée Turns 75 Years

How does one celebrate a 75th birthday? All year long, like the Lycée Français de New York. The Lycée is turning 75 and the celebrations begin day one of the 2010-11 school year. When students and parents arrive for the first day of classes in September, they will be greeted by a building adorned with vivid and thought provoking decorative installations throughout its already beautiful communal spaces and throughways. But decorations do not a year-long celebration make.

The Lycée finds itself at an interesting place in time, where there is so much to look back at and be proud of, yet, there is still so much to look forward to and such an illustrious history to create. Therefore, this year is not just a celebration of culture and accomplishment, but one of perspective and progress; one which brings together alumni and community members from the past with current Lycée staff and students – the school’s liaisons to the future.

Thus the 75th Anniversary Planning Committee has organized a year of events for all Lycée community members. The events will include a fascinating series of guest speakers and panel discussions, an original musical production to commemorate the school’s history, an alumni reunion weekend and, of course, the Lycée Annual Gala, which will have a 75th Anniversary theme. But before any of this takes place, there are the launch parties in New York City and Paris – September 23rd and October 7th respectively to launch the kick-off festivities.

But why two parties on two continents? Is the Lycée being extravagant? Not according to 75th Anniversary Co-Chair, Donna Zilkha. "Our school has traditionally been a school where French families felt they could send their kids while in the U.S., and be able to then take them back to France," explained Ms. Zilkha in an email. "Hence we have alums in France," Ms. Zilkha continued, "and some very illustrious ones among them. The two launch events further our ties to our French ‘anciens’, and recognize that, above all, we are a Lycée Francais."

The New York event will be a cocktail reception held at the Lycée. The evening will include guided tours of the beautiful state-of-the-art Lycée facilities; the premiere of the 75th Anniversary Commemorative short film, directed by Lycée alum Fabrice Frère; and remarks from Lycée Board Chair Stephan Haimo, Proviseur Yves Thézé, and 75th Anniversary Co-Chair and Alumni Board Chair Marie-Noëlle Pierce. But what is most important about this event, the 75th Anniversary committee wants to make crystal clear, is that it is about you; it is about celebrating success as a community, with a particular focus on engaging alumni. This has Mrs. Pierce very excited about the potential reconnections happening in the upcoming school year.

"As an international school, alums have sometimes been slow to come back," wrote Ms. Zilkha, "as the school in times gone by was not exactly one to harbor fuzzy souvenirs," a point with which Mrs. Pierce agrees. But both 75th Anniversary Co-Chairs say, "We are so proud of the school today, and would like our alums to see why. Perhaps an event like this will bring them back."

Ms. Zilkha's sentiment is the same for the event being held in Paris at Cercle de l'Union Interalliée. She wants the same sense of community she feels will be present in New York to also be present in Paris. Ms. Zilka mentioned that she owes a lot of gratitude to Juliette Timsit, who has been a great help in Paris. "She is dynamic, and in touch with many alums there."

Alumni Class Captains Guillame Rambourg and Hélène Darcet have also contributed greatly to the planning of the Paris event. It is partially due to such volunteer efforts that Paris is shaping up to be heavy competition for New York in terms of bragging rights for whose party had more pop. Regardless of bragging rights, the real winners are sure to be everyone who attended either or both parties, because as Ms. Zilkha put it, the important thing is "to regain contact with fellow alums, to see how successful many have been."

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