Last Wednesday night, Muheim Elementary School and Canadian Parents for French hosted the annual speaking competition Concours d’art oratoire.
Twenty five students from Grades 6 to 10 took part, along with six students from Grade 5 who are not eligible until next year but gained valuable experience.
The Bulkley Valley students joined approximately 100,000 youth who compete each year across Canada. Eligible students are in French Immersion, core French at an otherwise English school and students who speak French as their first language at home. Winners are now eligible to compete in provincials in Surrey and then the next step is nationals in Ottawa where prizes include full university scholarships.
To take part, students must write, memorize and present a speech in French, on a topic of their choice and are marked by local judges on a number of criteria including vocabulary, grammar, presentation, originality and memorization. It’s an excellent way to build confidence doing what studies have been shown is people’s biggest fear—public speaking.
The French Immersion program at Muheim Elementary has been growing steadily since it’s inception more than 15 years ago.
-Contributed by Amy Bucher
Results
Grade 6
1. Miller Kriese “Les requins” (Sharks)
2. Georgia Anderson “L’argent” (Money)
3. Jean Luc Belanger “Les chat Siamois” (Siamese cats)
Grade 7
1. Claire Lesawich “L’esclavage et la pauvrete (Slavery and Poverty)
2. Neve Foreman “Le rhinoceros blanc” (The White Rhino”)
3. Marco Bucher “Le reve de voler” (The Dream of Flight)
Grade 8
1. Maya Buchanan “Le Foyer” (The Home)
Grade 9
1. Emily Hobley-McCosker “Le Perfectionnisme” (Perfectionism)
Grade 10
1. Elena Schuffert “Le camp spatiale” (Space Camp)
