Bonjour et bienvenue à la classe de français!
I first want to welcome you to French at Blytheville High School! Whether you are a parent, a student in my class, or perhaps you are considering a study of French and want to see what it's all about, there is something on this website for everyone! About me... I was born and raised in Malvern, Arkansas just outside of Hot Springs. It was there, at Malvern High School, that I first began my study of foreign languages; French first, and soon afterwards, Spanish as well. I had a rocky start with French, just like a lot of students do. I made a "C" on my first report card, and then it dawned on me, "This is way too easy, interesting, and fun to be scraping by with a "C" in French!" From that point on, I buckled down and immersed myself in language study. I graduated from MHS in 1995 with the Most Outstanding Foreign Language Student award, and I set a goal of one day becoming a French teacher myself. I enrolled at Ouachita Technical College (now called ASU Three Rivers) in Malvern, AR, and later went on to earn my BSE in World Languages & Cultures: French at Arkansas State University, where I was awarded recognition for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of French from the College of Humanities & Social Sciences. Skip ahead to present-day Blytheville, Arkansas... I am now doing a job that I absolutely love! Being in the classroom, interacting with my students everyday, and working with the BHS faculty and administrators is a goal fulfilled! I was named Blytheville High School's Teacher of the Year in 2017 and the District Teacher of the Year in May 2023. In July 2023, I was selected by the Arkansas Department of Education as one of fourteen Regional Semi-Finalists for 2024 Arkansas Teacher of the Year (ATOY) which is part of the National Teacher of the Year Program (NTOY)! I also love to travel! I have been all over the continental United States, the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, up to the French-speaking province of Québec, Canada, south to beautiful Argentina in South America, and to eight countries in Europe including France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, England, Italy, Vatican City, and Germany. Back home, in my everyday life, I am a wife and mother of two. My oldest, Madison, is one of the newest teachers at Blytheville High School, and my son, Charlie, is in college preparing himself to enter into the teaching field as well. I am also the Assistant Director of the Tenaris Academic Excellence Afterschool Program for the Blytheville School District serving Kindergarten - 5th grade. In my spare time, I enjoy volunteering in the community, contributing an average of 250 volunteer hours per calendar year with a variety of civic groups. I've been on the Board of Directors for The Arts Council of Mississippi County since 2008, where I currently serve as Vice President as well as Chair of the Marketing Committee. I am also the current President of the ACT 2! Community Theatre of Blytheville. I have been acting and directing plays within this group since 2005, and co-directed the annual children's plays from 2009-2019. When possible, during the summer months, I like to teach free classes to children and adults on beginning acting, stage makeup, and special FX makeup. I am also a member of the Chamber Choir and the Community Choir at Arkansas Northeastern College in Blytheville. I am currently back in school again (college #5!) pursuing a Master's in Educational Technology through the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. My goals are to continue learning (yes, even teachers have a lot to learn!) and to one day travel to Greece, Turkey, Norway, Africa and the South Pacific. Welcome to French class! À bientôt! The photo below was taken at the top of Mont-Royal in Montréal, Québec (Canada) in July 2012.
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Mrs. Candice (Candie) Groves2024 ATOY Semi-Finalist
Contact information: Blytheville High School 600 North 10th Street Blytheville, AR 72315 (870) 762-2772 Email: [email protected] The picture above was taken at the Governor's Mansion in Little Rock, AR on July 27, 2023. On the left is AR Governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and on the right is Jacob Oliva, ADE Secretary and DESE Commissioner. I was one of 14 semi-finalists for 2024 Arkansas Teacher of the Year!
The photo above was taken at Neuschwanstein Castle as seen from Marienbrücke (Marie's Bridge) outside of Munich, Germany near the Austrian border in June 2014. You guessed it! Standing next to me is "the other Ms. Groves," our very own BHS Science teacher, back when she was just a 9th grader at BHS.
The photo above was taken in front of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy on June 19, 2016.
The photo above was taken in Mérida, the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán on October 6, 2022.
The photo above was taken in the Blytheville Primary School Library in 2018. These are just a handful of the thousands of students who have been a part of the Tenaris Afterschool Program since 2010. I became the Tenaris Program's Assistant Director in 2011.
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2017 & 2023 Teacher of the Year
BHS Principal, Jennifer Blankenship, presenting me as the 2023 BHS Teacher of the Year; BSD Superintendent, Dr. Veronica Perkins, presenting me with a plaque at the school board meeting recognizing me as the District Teacher of the Year for 2023; My 2017 and 2023 Teacher of the Year awards on display in my classroom.
J'aime Paris!
These four photos were all taken on the same day in Paris, France (June 14, 2016). Clockwise: The first was taken at Les Invalides which is home to the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte. The next was taken on the balcony of the Palais Garnier (The Paris Opera House) which is home to "The Phantom of the Opera," and the next, also at the Palais Garnier, was taken on the balcony inside the auditorium of the theater. The last photo, of course, was taken at the base of the beautiful Eiffel Tower!
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