In a small school such as AHS, there are limited options for students to study language. From elementary school on, students can either choose to study French or Spanish, and continue that language of their choice through high school. However, sophomore Simone Lamont made the decision to overstep those bounds and immerse herself in a language of her choice: Japanese.

For her 8^th grade year, Lamont made the decision to move to Japan with her cousins, and learn the language. For the better part of the school year, she submerged herself into Japanese culture and dedicated most of her time towards learning the language to a point where she could effectively communicate.

“[Simone] decided to learn Japanese when she was 10, just because she had an interest in languages. She even tried to learn Arabic and German when she was little,” Lamont’s twin sister, Grace Lamont, said.

“I’ve always been interested in Japanese, and because my cousins lived there, I had a great opportunity,” Simone Lamont said.

Lamont decided to embark on this journey before high school because she did not know when else she would get the opportunity to do something like this in her life, and because she believed that the only way to truly become fluent in a language was to experience it first hand.

“It was complete immersion,” Lamont said. “Even though I was living with an American family, every time I would go out, or go to my school, or even just walk around, it [was] Japanese everywhere. It was such an amazing experience, and definitely not something I could have done here.”

At age fourteen, Lamont was the youngest and the only American student in a language class consisting primarily of college-age and older students. The class was centered around learning basic Japanese, and by the end of her time in Japan, Lamont was nearly fluent.

“[Simone] used to go with all her older friends when they took their smoke breaks and would bring her packed lunch and talk with them about the different countries they were all from. She would even teach them English in their free time, because they all wanted to learn,” Grace Lamont said.

Upon her return to the U.S., Lamont made the decision to continue her Japanese studies through an online class that she takes during her free period, in addition to taking Spanish through AHS.

“I know that next year with the new schedule and IB diploma, I might not be able to work [the class] into my free period and I’ll probably have to do more on my own time, but I do plan on continuing it,” Lamont said.

As a dedicated athlete – Lamont is the only sophomore on the girl’s varsity basketball team, and plays soccer as well – and a mostly self-taught guitar player, she acknowledged that keeping up with the class on her limited free time will most likely be difficult, but she is determined.

“In the course that I take, I learn a lot about the culture as well as the language, which is something I like,” Lamont said. “If I have to do it in my free time, it’s a sacrifice worth making.”