For the second year in a row, Semiahmoo Secondary student Dhruv Mehta has placed first in the national finals of the Concours d’art oratoire, a French public speaking competition hosted by Canadian Parents for French (CPF) for Grade 6 to 12 students across Canada.
Mehta, a recent graduate, took the top spot in the Core French category, repeating his victory from last year in the national contest. The win also follows an impressive showing at the provincial Concours d’art oratoire where he finished first in the Core and Intensive French 11/12 category.
Additionally, SAIL (Surrey Academy of Innovative Learning) student Sophia Killawee placed second in the Late French Immersion category. Mehta and Killawee competed against students from seven provinces and territories, and were among 13 medallists across five categories: Core French, Core Extended/Enriched/Advanced French, Early French Immersion, Late French Immersion and Francophone. The competition was held virtually, with students submitting single-take videos showcasing their public speaking skills en français.
Mehta’s speech was titled Vers l’infini et au-delà avec la technologie (To infinity and beyond with technology) while Killawee’s speech was titled L’autisme. Other speech topics included sports, marketing, colonialism and racism, among other subjects.
This year’s winners will receive a cash prize and are eligible for a scholarship from CPF’s partner post-secondary institutions: University of Ottawa, Université Saint-Boniface, Université de Moncton, Université Sainte-Anne, Campus Saint-Jean – University of Alberta, and Glendon Campus of York University.
