Skip to content

Bayside student wins first prize in French public speaking competition

Three other Saanich students made the finals
16784657_web1_190510-VNE-SaanichStudentWinsFrenchAward_1
Tessa Hunter-Siebert poses along side B.C. Minister of Education Rob Fleming. The grade 6 student from Bayside Middle School in Saanich won first place in the French public speaking competition, Concours d’art oratoire. (Photo submitted)

For some people public speaking can leave them with sweaty palms, stomach aches and their hearts racing, but not for four Saanich students, and to top it all off — they spoke in French.

Tessa Hunter-Siebert, a Grade 6 student, won first place in this year’s pan-provincial French public speaking competition, Concours d’art oratoire, held on May 4 at Simon Fraser University in Surrey.

READ ALSO: Parents furious as late French immersion ends at Central Middle School

“Concours is an outstanding showcase and celebration of excellence in French language education,” said Greer Cummings, President of Canadian Parents for French B.C. and Yukon.

READ ALSO: Francophone Games coming to Victoria in 2020 in need of 600 French speaking volunteers

The 36th year of the competition saw 10,000 students from across B.C. with only 209 students making it to the provincial finals. Three other students from Saanich made the provincial finals; Grade 7 student Lily MacGregor, Grade 8 students Josephine Hill and Joanna Banister.

All the students attend Bayside Middle School.



kendra.crighton@blackpress.ca

Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.