Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School

István Novák—in order to create a multifunctional institution—designed a spacious school with well-illuminated areas, thus developing an environment where students could spend their extracurricular time.[4] The gymnasium (which can have up to three sections with the help of divider curtains), the library (standing at 20000 volumes), the spacious buffet, the modern studio and the Atrium were all born corresponding to this conception; opened together with the Theater Hall, the former one is able to host the whole school. Dr. László Kovács, the future first principal, modified the original plans: he had the wall separating the Atrium and the Theater Hall changed to a movable one; he made the gymnasium suitable for installing tennis or volleyball nets; what is more, he arrangement of lockers was also developed by him.[5] Besides these facilities, the original plans featured a short course swimming pool as well where the school wished to have swimming lessons and competitions alike, but it was never built.[4] The interior of the building is the work of Designer Mihály Szekeres, the winner of 1985 Mihály Munkácsy Award, while Miklós Borsos’ work can be examined above the main entrance. The school itself is a reinforced concrete structure using 4-5 different panel elements for the exterior, since the then Leadership of Szeged had the elements ordered from a concrete panel factory.

In the Hungarian-English Bilingual program—present since the opening of the school—has started among the first such programs in Hungary.[1] Students in this program learn English on an advanced level throughout their four years of high school, and have special English Conversation classes with either American or British native speakers so as to practice the language orally and to improve conversation skills. Five subjects are thought in English:

• Mathematics, History (9th-12th grade)
• Geography (9th-10th grade)
• Biology (10th-12th grade)
• Civilization (11th-12th grade)[note 2]

Admissions to the bilingual program generally happens on a regional scale and requires the central entrance examination to be complemented with an oral examination in English.[9] Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, U.S. Ambassador to Hungary visited Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School in November 12, 2010, and expressed encomiums on the remarkable fluency the program provides for students.[10]

Pupils in the Hungarian-English Bilingual program and those of the Special English program have the opportunity to apply for exchange with Brooks School which started in 1989 and in the frames of which approximately four students are given scholarship to this private school of North Andover, Massachusetts. Following this near three month exchange, the participants have to host the American students coming to Hungary.

The same groups of students can apply for European Classes, an English language debate forum in which the institution has been participating since 1994.[3] Participants—imitating the European Parliament —discuss topics concerning the continent’s economical and political hardships while connecting to other institutions’ regularly attending students from Romania, Denmark and Germany thus becoming acquainted with their cultures.[11]

The Special German program is in accordance with the German DSD program (Deutsches Sprachdiplom) meaning after the end of their secondary education, students receive their language certificates from the German Federal Republic herself, which enables them not to have to be required to take a special German entrance exam when applying to a German university. The objective of the aforementioned program is to ensure a solid background in the knowledge of the German language and culture for students of non-German school, which later on could help them to acquire job and to pursue their education in Germanophone countries. Pupils learn German on an advanced level; and furthermore, they are aided by a native teacher to practice orally and to develop high fluency.[9][12]

The special class of Soccer Academy is consistent with the general curriculum of sport schools and was born to provide a sufficient basis for its players who wish not to solely concentrate on their sport achievements but on their advanced education as well.[9] The conception of the program arose in the spring of 2007[9]—nevertheless, such initiatives were considered in the past as well—[6] thus in September 2008 the school enrolled its first class in this program. The team received the titles “Best Association Football Team of The City of Szeged” and “Best Association Football Team of Csongrád County”; moreover, they came second in the semi final of the National Student Olympics within the same year. Admission to this program generally happens on a regional scale during which applicant have to take the central entrance examination along with a sport aptitude test.[13] In order to guarantee the level of professional training, Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School called for tighter cooperation with Tisza Volán SC Youth Division and KÉSZ Soccer Academy Endowment.[2]

It is the declared aim of Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School to provide a qualification for students enrolled in this program with the help of which they can examine the stream of information of the contemporary era through a critical perspective.[9] Apart from the national entrance examination, applicants to this program are required to go through an oral examination for which they have to prepare from five classical films—chosen from the list stipulated by the school—and from two arbitrary ones. They are expected to examine these from both a narrative point-of-view and from film technological point-of-view as well; moreover, the application procedure includes a discussion concerning media history and contemporary media events.[14] Concerning the National Secondary School Academic Competition, students of the Motion Picture Culture and Media program have always reached the Top 9 with their project works between the academic years of 2004/2005 and 2009/2010.[15]

Deák Olympics is an annual academic competition among all the different grades from all subjects taught in the school; however, an artistic competition and an essay writing are also part of the events as well.[18] Sport competitions are likewise organized—in the frame of this event—in concordance with the students’ wishes. Following semi-finals and finals, the result announcement ceremony is due to a day without teaching in the spring.[19] On the day of Deák Olympics itself, presentations, film screenings, tea house, minor competitions (such as the student-teacher chess or poker tournaments[20]) or exhibitions are held in the school before the result announcement ceremony.[21] The event is organised in order to improve the school community and the cohesion within it.[2]

The szalagtűző (literally ribbon pinning ceremony) and szalagavató (literally ribbon inauguration ceremony) are traditions in an abundant number of Hungarian high schools during which senior students are given a ribbon symbolizing the end of their secondary education. In Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School the two traditions are not commemorated on the same day but form two distinctive ceremonies. During the szalagtűző, students of the penultimate class pin a ribbon onto each 12th-grader which is then followed by the speech of the principal, speech of the representatives of the students left behind and that of seniors uttered by a member of them accompanied by musical performances.[22]

Following the szalagtűző, the szalagavató ball is organized in the Atrium of the school for which seniors perform English and Viennese waltzes in addition to their respective class dances of choice and the teacher-student dance (dance couples are formed by student requesting a member of the faculty to dance) which is an English waltz too as a rule.[22] As result of a new, peculiar initiative, dances are not accompanied recorded music, but by live music provided by the Deák Big Band. As soon as all the dances end, students form into lines and the principal proposes a toast from atop the stairs of the Atrium following which the students clink glasses with each other and with their teachers. The dinner afterwards is organized in the building of the school as well; student and their family sit around tables placed in different class-rooms while the Theater Hall functions as a disco. The ball is concluded by leaving the institution for a remote after-party.

Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School has been staging its inner-county translation competition since 1997 which is due to the idea of the then leader of the English Department, Ms. Ildikó Sóti.[3] It consists of Germanic-language translating competitions, from Hungarian to English and German, besides those of Romance-languages like French and Italian language\Italian. During the contest, texts of various styles and topics (such as literary or publicistic works) are to be interpreted.[22]

The Freshman Ball (called Stork Ball in Hungarian[note 4]) occurs in November each year following the Fall Term Break. During this ceremony, new graders are officially inaugurated as students of Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School. Proceeding this event, is the Freshman Week (called Stork Week in Hungarian) challenging the freshmen with creative and humorous tasks each day.[23][24][25] Enhancing the evolution of cohesion among new students, each first grader class have to perform a class dance of arbitrary style and choreography.[23][25] The ball commences with the greeting of new students and with the introduction of the jury which decides over the best class dance. Following the dances comes the stork oath;[22] meanwhile, the jury totalizes the points. The class which wins is granted a trophy and the right to organize the event in the subsequent year.[23] The ball is ended with a disco held in the Theater Hall and with the concert of different school bands in the dining hall.[23]

The Goodbye Ceremony is not held on the same day as the graduation but it does represent a momentous event in the life of the school which consists of the solo and joint performances of teachers and form masters’ of senior classes including both musical and spoken word performances.[22][26][27][28]

Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School has been organizing its annual Christmas Soiree since 1992. During the event—held in the Theater Hall—representatives of the Student Body along with those of the faculty present their respective and joint performances as well. This event, which has been organized since the opening of the institution,[2] is among the most gratifying ones in the life of the school.

Commemorating the statesman after whom the school has been named, the ninth graders lay a wreath at the statue of Ferenc Deák on Széchenyi Square each year on the day of his birth, October 17. Apart from this event, students also pay tribute to him—on the day of his death—in the National Pantheon which is found on Dóm Square in front of the Votive Church of Szeged.

In its Pedagogical Program, Deák Ferenc Bilingual High School emphasizes the education of community life to be a most accentuated issue[2] due to which the institution organizes an annual Freshman Day in the Ópusztaszer National Heritage Park so as to enhance the formation of class communities. During this day, freshmen have to participate in various team sports and other team competitions.[22]