Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachèle DeMeo.
Rachèle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey to founding FLAM San Diego was inspired by both my professional experience and my personal life.
As a former French college professor and lifelong language educator, teaching French and supporting bilingual families has always been at the heart of my career. Over the years, I built a reputation in the San Diego community for creating engaging, high-quality French programs. Families frequently asked me where their children could continue learning French or maintain the language at a high level, and many encouraged me to open a French school because they saw a need for a program that went beyond traditional language instruction.
Throughout my teaching career, I also noticed that many children growing up in bilingual families were gradually losing confidence in speaking French because they didn’t have enough opportunities to use the language in meaningful, engaging ways outside the home. I knew there had to be a better way to help these children not only maintain their French language skills but also strengthen their connection to French culture and identity.
At the same time, I had become a mother. Raising my own children gave me an even greater appreciation for the importance of preserving my native French language and cultural heritage. Having grown up in a bilingual, multicultural home myself, I experienced firsthand the many advantages of speaking multiple languages and being immersed in different cultures. I wanted my children—not only to speak French—but to become confident communicators with strong reading and writing skills who could embrace their heritage and connect with opportunities around the world. My children, along with the children of so many families in our community, became my greatest inspiration.
That vision led me to create FLAM San Diego, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children, teens, and adults learn, maintain, and celebrate the French language and Francophone cultures.
From the very beginning, my goal was simple: provide affordable, high-quality French education taught by passionate, experienced educators while creating a welcoming community where families could connect through language and culture. We wanted to offer more than language classes—we wanted students to experience French through creativity, connection, and culture. Our classes are interactive, hands-on, and designed to make learning enjoyable while building confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong love of French.
Essentially, there was a real need for engaging, high-quality French education and a supportive community where bilingualism could thrive.
Today, as Founder and Director of FLAM San Diego, I have the privilege of working alongside an incredible team of passionate, highly qualified educators who share the same commitment to making French accessible, engaging, and meaningful for every learner. Together, we offer in-person and online group classes, private tutoring, conversation groups, cultural events, a kids’ club, camps, and educational resources for learners of all ages.
Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful that the San Diego community believed in this vision from the very beginning. What started with my own children—and the encouragement of countless local families—has grown into a thriving nonprofit organization serving students locally, nationally, and internationally. Watching our students grow not only in their language abilities but also in their confidence, cultural appreciation, and sense of belonging has been the most rewarding part of this journey.
As we continue to grow, my hope is to reach even more families, expand access to high-quality French education, build meaningful community partnerships, and inspire the next generation of bilingual, multilingual, and multicultural citizens.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The journey has been incredibly rewarding, but it certainly hasn’t been a smooth road.
Launching FLAM San Diego in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, presented challenges that no one could have anticipated. Starting a new nonprofit educational organization during a time of uncertainty required a tremendous amount of resilience, creativity, and adaptability. While many programs were shutting down, we were building something entirely new, finding ways to connect students and families through both in-person and online learning.
In the beginning, I volunteered countless hours to get FLAM San Diego off the ground. Like many nonprofit founders, I wore every hat imaginable—developing curriculum, recruiting instructors and other staff, training our teachers, managing enrollment, handling marketing and communications, organizing cultural events, and overseeing the day-to-day operations. It was a true labor of love, fueled by my passion for education and my belief that our community needed a place where families could learn, maintain, and celebrate the French language and Francophone cultures.
As we’ve grown, the challenges have evolved. Every family has different schedules, goals, and needs, and while I always do my best to accommodate as many requests as possible, it’s not always feasible. One of the biggest responsibilities as a director is balancing flexibility with the resources of a growing a nonprofit while ensuring we continue to provide the high-quality programs our families expect.
Growth also means continuously improving. We’re always looking for ways to expand our offerings, support our teachers, strengthen our curriculum, and create new opportunities for students and families. I see those challenges as opportunities to learn, evolve, and better serve our community.
Looking back, every obstacle has reinforced why FLAM San Diego exists. Seeing our students gain confidence, embrace bilingualism, and build meaningful friendships makes every late night, every volunteer hour, and every challenge along the way worthwhile.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Our mission is to make French language learning engaging, accessible, and meaningful while helping students develop confidence, cultural awareness, and a lifelong love of learning.
One of the things that truly sets FLAM San Diego apart is our commitment to educational excellence. We are proud to be accredited by the French Ministry of National Education (Ministère de l’Éducation nationale) through the FLAM (Français LAngue Maternelle) program. We have also been awarded the prestigious FLAM Label, a distinction granted to organizations that meet high standards in French language education, governance, and community engagement. In addition, we are a partner school of the AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad), the world’s network of French schools supported by the French government. These recognitions reflect our commitment to providing high-quality instruction that meets internationally recognized educational standards.
Our programs serve a wide variety of learners—from preschoolers discovering French for the first time to heritage speakers, bilingual families, homeschoolers, high school students preparing for exams, and adults who simply want to learn or reconnect with the language. We offer in-person and live online group classes, private and semi-private lessons, academic tutoring, conversation groups, clubs, cultural workshops, camps, and community events.
What we’re most known for is creating classes that students genuinely look forward to attending. We believe language learning should be interactive, hands-on, and enjoyable. Our experienced instructors use games, projects, storytelling, music, art, movement, and real-life communication to make French come alive. Rather than simply teaching vocabulary and grammar, we create meaningful experiences that help students build confidence while developing strong communication, reading, and writing skills.
I’m also incredibly proud of the community we’ve built. FLAM San Diego is much more than a language program—it’s a place where families connect, friendships are formed, and children develop a sense of belonging while celebrating the richness of the French-speaking world. Many of our students have been with us for years, growing alongside our organization and creating lasting memories through our classes, cultural celebrations, clubs, and extracurricular activities.
At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: learning another language opens doors. It broadens perspectives, strengthens cognitive and academic skills, connects generations, and helps students become confident global citizens. Every program we offer is designed with that vision in mind.
As we continue to grow, we remain committed to the same mission that inspired FLAM San Diego from the very beginning: providing exceptional French education while building a vibrant community where language, culture, and lifelong learning flourish together.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Although many of our programs are offered both in person and online, San Diego will always be home for FLAM San Diego, so this community is especially meaningful to me.
What I love most about San Diego is its incredible quality of life. The beautiful year-round climate, breathtaking ocean views, palm trees, and amazing diversity of cuisines and cultures make it such a special place to live, work, and raise a family. It’s a city that embraces diversity and encourages people from all backgrounds to connect, which aligns perfectly with our mission of promoting language and cultural exchange.
If I had to choose one downside, it would be the number of traffic lights! Fortunately, San Diego’s beautiful scenery helps make those drives a little more enjoyable.
Pricing:
- Online Youth Courses $1650/school year (September- May)
- In-person Youth Courses $1880/school year (September- May)
- Online Adults Courses $850/school year (September- May)
- Private lessons: $65/hour
- Semi-private lessons: $96/hour for 3 students
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flamsandiego.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flamsandiego/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FLAMSanDiego/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flam-san-diego/?viewAsMember=true
- Other: https://linktr.ee/flamsandiego
