NOVA SCOTIAN STUDENTS LOVE TO “PARLE EN FRANCAIS”

Canadian Parents for French- Nova Scotia (CPF-NS) held their 31st provincial Concours d’art oratoire (French public speaking contest) on Sunday, April 27 at Mount Saint Vincent University. Students from every school board in the province, including the Conseil scolaire Acadien provincial (CSAP) and the Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), participated in the event. Students advanced from their school and school board level to the provincial competition in Halifax. One hundred and sixty students in grades 5-12 represented every French program in the province from core French to immersion to French first language.

Over 400 people were at the event to cheer on their friends and family. Entertainment after the speeches was Carillon, a Franco-folk group comprising of young talented musicians from the French shore of Nova Scotia: Jacques Blinn, Eric Dow, Melissa Comeau and Guyaume Boulianne.

Grade 5/6 and 7/8 levels first place winners received a French summer camp package prize from CPF Nova Scotia. The first place winners from grade 9/10 will be spending a week at Encounters with Canada in Ottawa during the next school year.

The grade 11/12 first place students are on their way to compete at the CPF National Concours in May for scholarships worth over $30,000. This year’s National Concours will take place at the University of Prince Edward Island. Participants from across the country will be taking part in the events being held to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference. All grade 11/12 students who competed this weekend received scholarships to Université Sainte-Anne and Université de Moncton.

Students in Business was a Silver sponsor of the event. Support was also received the Nova Scotia Department of Education, Université Sainte-Anne, Universite de Moncton, Mount Saint Vincent University and Canadian Heritage. Many thanks to the volunteers and educators who made this worthwhile event possible!