English is surely a world language. But learning a foreign language exposes young people to new cultures and new horizons and helps them understand English better.

Children in foreign language programs tend to demonstrate greater cognitive development, creativity, and divergent thinking than monolingual children. Several studies show that people who are competent in more than one language outscore those who are speakers of only one language on tests of verbal and nonverbal intelligence.

Studies also show that learning another language enhances the academic skills of students by increasing their abilities in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Knowledge of foreign languages is one of the most important skills that K-12 students will need to develop to prosper in the 21st century.