Lafayette, Louisiane

Wednesday, December 11, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

________________________________________________________________

On December 6, 7, and 8, 2002, ALCFES (Association Louisianaise des Clubs Français des Ecoles Secondaires), Louisiana's State High School French Club Association, held its Twenty-third annual convention at the Marriott Hotel in Bâton Rouge.

The many activities of the convention included election of officers, spirit demonstration (cheers in French), skit competition (plays in French), a Quiz Bee (type of Quiz Bowl in French), a Spelling Bee in French, Banner and Scrapbook judging and Scholarship Competition. Two new competitions were added this year: Musical performance and creative writing in French.

Of particular interest was ALCFES' Rallye or Treasure Hunt held on Saturday, December 7, at the Hotel. This Rallye was a cultural tour of exhibits and presentations featuring French-speaking countries from throughout the world. The students filled out a questionnaire with the help of the presenters who were instructed to speak to the students exclusively in French. The presentations were made by native speakers from countries and regions such as Ivory Coast, Mali, Haïti, Morocco, France, Belgium, Québec and New Brunswick. Among the presentations were the music of West Africa, the folk rythms of Haïti, the traditional dress of Mali, the perfumes of France, the Saint-Nicolas of Belgium, the game of Hockey in French and the process of making maple syrup in the Maritime Provinces of Canada.

While half of the students were attending the Rallye, the other half were treated to a wonderful show of traditional French Louisiana songs and dance from the group Renaissance Cadienne of Lafayette. Thanks to Renaissance Cadienne, the students were invited to observe some traditional Louisiana French folk dances and sing some traditional Louisiana French folk songs. The two groups later exchanged places so that every student got to participate in the Rallye and the singing and dancing.

The newly elected president is Chad Berg from Episcopal High School of Baton Rouge. The new vice-president is Amanda Holland from St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge. The new secretary is Nafis Jamal from Hammond High School, and the new treasurer is Justin Duplantis from Ovey Comeaux High School in Lafayette. Mr. Chad Berg, the newly elected president, will receive a scholarship at the expense of the organization to study French abroad during the Summer of 2003. The other three state officers also each receive scholarships to study French for five weeks this summer at Université Sainte-Anne, Church Point, Nova Scotia.

Regional representatives from the four state regions were also elected. These regional representatives are as follows:

1) Region I -- Danielle BOUDREAUX, Neville High School,

Monroe, LA

Laura Joy RIDER, Louisiana School for Math & Science,

Natchitoches, LA

Colbye PRIM, Bolton High School,

Alexandria, LA

Neelam SHAH, Bolton High School

Alexandria, LA

2) Region II -- Cara CANCIENNE, Jeanerette High School

Jeanerette, LA

Kristen SWINEY, Lafayette High School

Lafayette, LA

Lexie ISKANDER, St. Thomas More Catholic High School

Lafayette, LA

Nate RAFFEL, Episcopal School of Acadiana

Cade, LA

3) Region III -- Laura WASSON, Episcopal High School

Baton Rouge, LA

Ellen CARMICHAEL, St. Joseph’s Academy

Baton Rouge, LA

Chase LEBOUEF, Catholic High School

Baton Rouge, LA

Alice PANG, Baton Rouge Magnet High School

Baton Rouge, LA

4) Region IV -- Heath VIZIER, Assumption High School

Napoleonville, LA

Jason MARCHESE, St. Charles Catholic High School

LaPlace, LA

Hersh FERNANDES, Jesuit High School

New Orleans, LA

Ashley DRURY, Hammond High School

Hammond, LA

There were several scholarships awarded to study in Belgium, France, Nova Scotia and Québec. These winners were Mary Greenwood, Ruston High School and Virginia Davis, Episcopal High School in Bâton Rouge who won scholarships to study in Belgium. Calvin Woodruff, Episcopal School of Acadiana in Cade, won the Jason Dyess scholarship to study in France. Karen Rhorer from Redemptorist High School in Baton Rouge will be studying at the CEGEP de Jonquière in the Province of Quebec this summer. Julee LaPorte of St. Amant High school won a scholarship to Université Sainte-Anne, Church Point, Nova Scotia. Aimée Larroque of Lafayette High School, Lani Payne, Neville High School, Monroe, and Erqi Liu, Baton Rouge Magnet High School, each won half scholarships to study at Université Sainte-Anne in Nova Scotia. Gordon Walker, Catholic High Baton Rouge was first runner up to the scholarship contestants. Grant Belgarde of Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, Natchitoches and Stephen Lee tied for second runner up. Meaghan Cabaniss, St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge was third runner up. These runners-up will replace any of the winners who may not be able to accept their scholarship.

Plaques and other prizes were offered to the winners of the various competitions held during the convention. The first place winner of the Skit Competition Level I was Ruston High; second place went to Donaldsonville High; third place went to West Ouachita High School of Monroe. In the Skit Competition Level II, Episcopal High School of Bâton Rouge won first place; St. Joseph’s Academy of Bâton Rouge won second place; and Bâton Rouge High School won third place.

For the Quiz Bee Level I (Beginners), winners were Jon Pastorek, Jesuit High New Orleans, first place; Rachel Abadie, Bâton Rouge High, second place; and Jessica Mumphrey, St. Joseph’s Academy, Bâton Rouge, third place. The Quiz Bee Level II (Advanced) winners were first place, Alex Fauveau, Catholic High Bâton Rouge; Brian Goh, Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, Natchitoches, second place; and Nabil Thaljil, Bâton Rouge High, third place.

Two categories were open for the Schools' scrapbook competition. The first category was for originality and artistic rendering. Those winners were Episcopal High School of Bâton Rouge, first place; Northshore High School, Slidell second place; and Lafayette High School, third place. In the scrapbook competition’s second category was for content and integrity of theme, Bâton Rouge High, West Ouachita High School and St. Thomas More High School of Lafayette won first, second and third places respectively.

Just as for the scrapbooks, two categories were open for the Schools' Banner Competition, for originality and artistic rendering, as well as for content and integrity of theme. Ouachita High School, Monroe, Ruston High School, and Episcopal High School of Bâton Rouge won first, second and third places respectively in the first category for artistic rendering. Jesuit High School of New Orleans, St. Thomas More High School of Lafayette, and St. Charles Catholic of Laplace won first, second, and third places respectively in the second category for content.

ALCFES added two new competitive events to its convention this year. The first was a creative writing competition where students were called upon to create written compositions in French. The winners in this competition were Bolton High School, Alexandria, first place; Neville High School, Monroe, second place; and Bâton Rouge High School, third place.

The second newly-added competition was musical. The winners of this musical competition were Hammond High School, with the song La Grâce du Ciel, first place; Assumption High School with Napoléon, second place; and third place went to Episcopal High School with Les Anges dans nos campagnes.

A special commendation goes out to the teachers of these young people as well as to all the students who have worked so hard throughout the past seventeen years to make this convention the great success that it is.

This yearly High School French Club Convention is jointly sponsored by ALCFES, the Louisiana State Department of Education, Region IV Education Service Center and the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL). Special thanks go out to the French Community of Belgium Office in Bâton Rouge, the Consulate General of France in New Orleans, the Université Sainte-Anne in Church Point, Nova Scotia, and the CEGEP de Jonquière in Jonquière, Québec as well as to all of the businesses and corporations which gave their assistance.

The association is planning its next convention for January 30 – February 1, 2004, in New Orleans where a treasure hunt on Louisiana's French History and Culture is planned for the French Quarter. All High School French students are invited to attend.

For further information concerning the ALCFES convention, check out ALCFES’ web-site www.alcfes.org

or contact:

Richard J. Guidry Chad Berg

Coordinator President

State Department of Education Episcopal High School, Baton Rouge

RESC IV 1405 W. Pinhook Rd. 3200 Woodland Ridge Road

Lafayette, LA 70503 Bâton Rouge, LA 70816

e-mail: BergC@ehsbr.org

Telephone: (337) 262-5208 (225) 751-9424