Media Press Releases Almost 700 Parents And Children Attend 26th Annual Provincial French Public Speaking Championship
| Almost 700 Parents And Children Attend 26th Annual Provincial French Public Speaking Championship |
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Released: May 10, 2009 Vancouver – With the swooping curves of the Bing Thom’s SFU Surrey campus serving as a dramatic backdrop, the day-long finals of the 26th annual Concours d’art oratoire attracted an audience of almost 700 people, including 266 competing students, this past May 2. The contest, organized by Canadian Parents for French-BC & Yukon (CPF), is the result of classroom, school and district competitions, involving over 10,000 students across BC. Students in grade 6 to 12 presented five-minute speeches, with topics ranging from racial profiling, to young love, to why parents can be so embarrassing. Besides the cultural and language benefits, the Concours helps students develop their creative and public speaking abilities, as well as self-discipline. University entrance scholarships, travel to Ottawa, books, medals and cash were among the prizes awarded. Grade 12 winners in each of the four categories of the competition – Core French , Early Immersion, Late Immersion, and Francophone – will go on to the National finals on May 30, 2009 in Ottawa to compete for a $20,000 scholarship to the University of Ottawa. The lucky winners in Grade 12 are Naomi Francis, Delta (Early French Immersion); Khue-Tu Nguyen, Burnaby (late French Immersion); Suhari Thakore, Independent (Core French); and Anthony Chen, Richmond (Francophone). The large audience listened to speeches by a number of distinguished guests, among whom: Debra Pool, President of the Board of CPF BC & Yukon Branch; James Shea, Executive Director of CPF National; Pierre Guérin, Director of French language services for French CBC BC & Yukon; Alain Laberge, Director of Instruction and Educational Services at the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique ; Christine Sotteau, Government Relations officer for the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique; and Dr. Renée Hamilton-Clark, French professor at University College of the Fraser Valley and the competition’s chief judge. Canadian Parents for French BC & Yukon Branch is a non-profit organization that has worked for more than 30 years to provide French-Second-Language learning opportunities for youth, support for parents, and advocacy for quality French programs in our schools. The BC & Yukon branch is by far the largest with over 9,000 members. FACT SHEET ATTACHED (to PDF Version): List of 2009 BC Provincial Concours Winners Contact:
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 06 April 2010 17:07 ) |
