Bluewater District School Board's (BWDSB's) annual Concours d'art oratoire French public speaking contest made its return on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at the BWDSB Education Centre in Chesley.
Eighty-three students from nine schools across the district competed in 14 categories as family members, board staff, and judges observed with pride and amazement. Sixty-nine students prepared a speech for the event, while 14 chose an impromptu approach, which involved rolling a die for a suppled picture to describe or a sentence prompt.
All students received a certificate of participation and first, second, and third place finishers received a medal and cash prize.
Here are the results from this year's competition:
Grade 4-5 Core French
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Willow Sherk, Hepworth Central Public School
2nd - Lina Wilson, Hepworth Central Public School
3rd - Karsyn Vanloo, Hepworth Central Public School
Grade 4-5 French Immersion
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Maddie Sumner, Dawnview Public School
2nd - Sawyer Embacher, Georgian Bay Community School
3rd - Caleb Cleland, Georgian Bay Community School
Grade 4-6 French Immersion
Impromptu Speech
1st -
Bessan Abuoun, Elgin Market Public School
2nd -
Layth Hassan, East Ridge Community School
3rd -
Chelsea Bedford, East Ridge Community School
Grade 6 French Immersion
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Charlotte Armstrong, Georgian Bay Community School
2nd - Olivia Tomei, Georgian Bay Community School
3rd - James Stredwick, East Ridge Community School
Grade 4-6 Francophone
Impromptu Speech
1st - Emma Vander Ploeg, Elgin Market Public School
Grade 7-8 Francophone
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Dayton Delisle, Kincardine District Senior School
2nd - Lydia Menard, Georgian Bay Community School
Grade 7-8 French Immersion
Impromptu Speech
1st - Peter Nemeth, East Ridge Community School
2nd - Mikayla Mink, East Ridge Community School
3rd - Oscar Lindstrom, East Ridge Community School
Grade 7 French Immersion
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Averee Hamann, Kincardine District Senior School
2nd - Liam Law, East Ridge Community School
3rd - Olivia Embacher, Georgian Bay Community School
Grade 8 French Immersion
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Kestrel Clarence, Georgian Bay Community School
2nd - Ryan Klassen, Kincardine District Senior School
3rd - Lucy Nickel, East Ridge Community School
Grade 9-10 French Immersion
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Jessie Lister, Georgian Bay Community School
2nd - Hamna Husain, Saugeen District Senior School
Grade 9-10 Core French
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Esha Gill, Kincardine District Senior School
Grade 11-12 Core French
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Cleo Sherfey, Georgian Bay Community School
Grade 11-12 French Immersion
Impromptu Speech
1st - Ashlynn Lantz, John Diefenbaker Senior School
Grade 11-12 French Immersion
Traditional/Prepared Speech
1st - Aryana Nasimi, Kincardine District Senior School
2nd - Payton Dobie, Georgian Bay Community School
3rd - Johanna Reekie, Georgian Bay Community School
The 39th provincial finals will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at Glendon Campus, York University in Toronto for students in Grades 9 to 12 enrolled in a French as a Second Language course. BWDSB will be represented by the following secondary students, who will be competing for cash prizes and scholarships to Collège Boréal, University of Ottawa, and York University, Glendon Campus:
Jessie Lister, Georgian Bay Community School; 9-10 French Immersion
Traditional/Prepared Speech
Esha Gill, Kincardine District Senior School; 9-10 Core French
Traditional/Prepared Speech
Ashlynn Lantz, John Diefenbaker Senior School; 11-12 French Immersion
Impromptu Speech
Aryana Nasimi, Kincardine District Senior School; 11-12 French Immersion
Traditional/Prepared Speech
Currently in BWDSB, over 9,000 students are enrolled in French as an Additional Language programs. Through the support of Canadian Parents for French, schools are invited to register and send representatives to the annual board level Concours d’art oratoire event.
BWDSB congratulates all of this year's participants for their hard work, creativity, and bravery in sharing their unique and engaging speeches in front of a large audience. Many thanks are also extended to Canadian Parents for French, staff, judges, and families for their unyielding support of our students.