Congratulations to Libin Abdulle ’26, Henry Knowles ’26, Agnes McLemore ’26, Katherine Fast ’27, Abigail Manoukian ’27, Eleanor Mixon ’27, Louisa Nordberg ’27, Falcon Reed ’27, and Julia Young ’27 for their induction into the French Honor Society.
By Richard Esephant, HS French Teacher
On March 3, 2026, USN high school French teachers Dr. Ninon Bartz and Richard Espenant welcomed several students into the French Honor Society (Société Honoraire de Français) during the annual induction ceremony.
Students were selected for this distinction in recognition of their strong academic achievement in French as well as their genuine interest in Francophone language and culture throughout their high school studies.
Class of 2026 • Libin Abdulle • Henry Knowles • Agnes McLemore
Class of 2027 • Katherine Fast • Abigail Manoukian • Eleanor Mixon • Louisa Nordberg • Falcon Reed • Julia Young
The French Honor Society was established in 1949 by the American Association of Teachers of French. Its motto reflects the value of multilingualism: “Someone who knows two languages is worth two people.”
During the ceremony, the new members recited the society’s oath and were presented with their official certificates of induction.
Congratulations to these outstanding students. We look forward to seeing them continue their study of French and serve as ambassadors of Francophone language and culture.
Students in grades 5-8 and their families can take USN Evening Class 702: Mah and Pah Jong and Me to learn to play a board game together while benefiting USN's need-based scholarship endowment.
The Helen Meador Summer International Fellowship funded a summer of professional development in South America for Lower School Naturalist Carrie Riley. Through this profound experience, she said she plans to bring these lessons into her teaching, grounding her voice in wonder, joy, and a commitment to protecting the natural world, which she loves.
The impact of USN’s Art Department is not confined to art studios in the Christine Slayden Tibbott Center. Students often engage with art in ways that transcend traditional classroom learning, such as at the opening reception for artist Yanira Vissepó's “Fantastical Views.”
Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.
The MTB team returned to the the twisty trails of tranquil Oakfield, TN on Sept 13th to take part in the second race of the season, as part of the 5-race series hosted by the NICA/TICL League.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.