​Two Kincardine students advance to provincial finals in French public-speaking contest

Two students at Kincardine District Senior School have advanced to the provincial finals after finishing first at the Bluewater District School Board's annual Concours d’art oratoire French public-speaking contest, held at the end of March at the education centre in Chesley.

Esha Gill took first in Grades 9-10 Core French, traditional/prepared speech, while Aryana Nasimi won first in the Grades 11-12 French Immersion, traditional/prepared speech.

The other two winners, were Ashlynn Lantz of John Diefenbaker Senior School, Grades 11-12, French Immersion, impromptu speech; and Jessie Lister, Georgian Bay Community School, Grades 9-10, French Immersion, traditional/prepared speech.

Eighty-three students from nine schools across Bluewater 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 supplied picture to describe or a sentence prompt.

All students received a certificate of participation and those finishing first, second, and third received a medal and cash prize.



Several contestants prepare to give their speeches at the Bluewater District School Boards French public-speaking contest

Here are the results from this year's competition:

Grades 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

Grades 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  

Grades 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 

Grades 4-6 Francophone
Impromptu Speech

• 1st - Emma Vander Ploeg, Elgin Market Public School

Grades 7-8 Francophone
Traditional/Prepared Speech

• 1st - Dayton Delisle, Kincardine District Senior School
• 2nd - Lydia Menard, Georgian Bay Community School

Grades 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

Grades 9-10 French Immersion
Traditional/Prepared Speech

• 1st - Jessie Lister, Georgian Bay Community School
• 2nd - Hamna Husain, Saugeen District Senior School

Grades 9-10 Core French
Traditional/Prepared Speech

• 1st - Esha Gill, Kincardine District Senior School

Grades 11-12 Core French
Traditional/Prepared Speech

• 1st - Cleo Sherfey, Georgian Bay Community School

Grades 11-12 French Immersion
Impromptu Speech

• 1st - Ashlynn Lantz, John Diefenbaker Senior School

Grades 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 Saturday, May 4, at Glendon Campus, York University in Toronto, for students in Grades 9-12 enrolled in a French as a Second Language course. The students will be competing for cash prizes and scholarships to Collège Boréal, University of Ottawa, and York University, Glendon Campus.

Currently, more than 9,000 students in Bluewater District 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.



Winners of the Bluewater District School Board's French public-speaking contest