Italian Language Classes Start Monday, Feb. 13, 2012

The Columbus Citizens Foundation pledged $500,000 to help bring back the Advanced Placement Italian language and culture program.

The AP Italian exam is offered to high school students nationwide by the nonprofit College Board. Students with a passing grade can earn college credit. After fund-raising problems and low demand, the College Board moved to suspend the program after the 2008-09 school year.

At a 2008 meeting in Rome with Italian government officials, the Columbus Citizens Foundation Chairman of the Board, the Italian Language Foundation, and former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo and his wife, the Italian government agreed to pay half the cost to have the exam reinstated, as long as the other half would be covered by Italian heritage groups, including the Columbus Citizens Foundation's pledge of $500,000.  The exam was reinstated in the Fall of 2011.  (Read the Article on wsj.com.)

Since January of 1990, the Columbus Citizens Foundation, in collaboration with the Italian American Committee on Education (“IACE”) has offered classes in Italian language and culture to its members and the community at large. The program offers 6 levels of Italian, two semesters each year: autumn and spring. Classes, ranging from beginners to advanced, are taught by highly qualified professors who teach, and have taught, in some of the top universities in the US and Italy.

2012 Spring Semester Italian language and culture classes start on Monday, February 13th and continuing through May 2012 for 12 sessions at a cost of $275.

When: Monday evenings starting on February 13th and ending in May 2012.
Time: One Beginners 1 class will be offered at 4:30 pm
All levels will be offered at 6:30 pm
Where: Columbus Citizens Foundation, 8 East 69th Street, NYC (between Madison and 5th Avenues)
Registration: In person on February 6th at the Columbus Foundation starting at 6:00 or by mail.
Books: You will be advised which book will be used at registration.

We are delighted to offer the following courses, taught by highly respected and experienced teachers:

Beginners l: For students who have not studied Italian (this class will be offered at 4:30 pm and again at
6:30 pm).
Beginners l(a): For students who have taken a Beginners l class and are comfortable with the Present, Future and some Past (Passato Prossimo).
Beginners 2: For students with at least 2 semesters of Italian and are ready to move on to Past (Passato Possimo), Imperfect, Conditional.
Intermediate l: Continuation of Beginners 2 with added emphasis on speaking.
Intermediate 2: Advanced Grammar and conversation.
Advanced Conversation: For those who want to utilize their years of learning in a class which focuses on conversation skills.


The cost of the course is $275

Spring 2012 Italian Classes Registration Form (18 KB)