Young linguists are setting out to inspire fellow students after being appointed as their academy's first language ambassadors.
The team, who were selected or volunteered during events to mark European Day of Languages at The King's Academy, Coulby Newham, will organise cultural experiences and activities to support other students and their own learning.
The youngest ambassadors are in Year 9 and include Azeem Akhtar, 13, who has opted for German and is also staying back after school twice a week to continue French.
"I enjoy it so wanted to carry on with two languages," he said.
French teacher Nicola Jessop, who has coordinated recruitment of the language ambassadors, explained: "The initiative will be led by the students for students.
he sixth formers showed during European Day of Languages that they're capable of running language-based activities for younger students in French, German and Spanish so being ambassadors will help them extend that.
"They've already talked about going to the cinema to see foreign language films, going to restaurants and possibly the German Christmas market in Leeds."
Abbie Grosvenor, 18, who studied French to AS level and is continuing with German A level, said: "I'm going to study German at university because it connects you with the rest of the world and a different culture. I'll spend a year there as part of my course so anything I can do to use my languages will help."
Ellie Morgan, 16, is so keen that she is extending her repertoire by teaching herself Swedish.
"It's a very lyrical language and I like to sing so it seemed like a good one to learn," she said.
Another ambassador, Khadija Tariq, 17, already works with other students at The King's for whom English is an additional language.
She explained: "We have students from Eastern Europe, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran and Syria. Some were born here but speak their mother tongue at home, while others have moved here from other countries. We help them with their homework and generally make sure they integrate well and don't feel isolated because English isn't their first language."
