Ottawa, January 17, 2023 — Canadian Parents for French launched the 2023 edition of O’Poésie in early December. The French as a Second Language contest, which allows students from grades 1 to 12 to practise and expand their French language skills through poetry, runs until February 9th. FSL students across the country can participate by submitting a poem online in one of eight categories.

O’Poésie was first organized as a classroom activity in Quebec by Canadian Parents for French Quebec & Nunavut. The goal was to encourage anglophone students to explore the beauty of the French language through a creative learning project while also developing a sense of belonging to the Francophone community. After a successful run in Quebec, the contest expanded across Canada in 2021.

“Learning a language is much more than learning rules and vocabulary. With O’Poésie we are creating an opportunity for students to develop skills to express themselves in an authentic way and build their confidence in French,” said Megan Chartrand, Coordinator of CPF Quebec & Nunavut.

As a pan-Canadian organization that promotes opportunities for youth to use and learn French, CPF is always looking at ways to engage students and to motivate them to use the language outside of the classroom. O’Poésie is a project that showcases the creativity of students while also fulfilling the organization’s mandate.

“As a national contest, O’Poésie has allowed us to reach students across Canada. Each year we are impressed with the quality of the poems they submit. We believe that this is a great opportunity for students of all ages to improve their writing skills in French,” added Nicole Thibault, CPF Network CEO.

The top three winners in each of the eight categories will receive prizes that include cash prizes and gift cards (up to $150), books, movie passes and more. CPF has created a step-by-step video and support resources for teachers to encourage and guide their students in participating in the contest. To learn more visit https://qc-nu.cpf.ca/en/o-poesie/.

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Canadian Parents for French is a nationwide, research-informed, volunteer organization that represents 35,000 members across Canada and champions the opportunity to learn and use French for all those who call Canada home.

For more information, please contact:

Media:

Marcos Salaiza, Communications Manager

Tel: 613.235.1481 x222 Email: msalaiza@cpf.ca

O’Poésie:

Megan Chartrand, CPF QCNU Coordinator

Email: mchartrand@cpf.ca