A local francophone student brought home the benefits from a trip that united youth leaders from coast to coast last week. école Notre-Dame des Monts student Laurissa Brousseau was in Niagara Falls, Ont.
A local francophone student brought home the benefits from a trip that united youth leaders from coast to coast last week.
école Notre-Dame des Monts student Laurissa Brousseau was in Niagara Falls, Ont. as an ambassador for her school, division and province at the Association Canadienne d'éducation de langue française (ACELF)'s Youth Leadership Delegation session.
The conference, themed “In French? Gladly!” gave about 50 high school francophone students an opportunity to gain the knowledge needed to become and further their skills as leaders within their respective communities.
The interactive platform with other francophone students and learn about the similarities they encounter every day opened Brousseau's eyes, she said.
The Grade 9 student was chosen to attend the conference after completing an essay explaining her desire to take part, as well as listing volunteer contributions she has made to Canmore's tightknit French community.
An example of her contributions came this past June, when Brousseau and fellow NDM students and staff participated in La Grande Traversée, a near 600-kilometre bike ride to Penticton, B.C. The ride started in Quebec and stopped at francophone communities across the country to empower youth and their parents to make healthier life choices.
Brousseau, along with a Grade 11 student from Calgary, were the lucky pair from the FrancoSud division chosen to attend the conference in the border city famous for its waterfalls.
“There were lots of classes on how to make the French community more vibrant,” she said.
The 14 year old said a main focus of one of the classes was a student exchange; something she expressed much interest in doing, especially if it meant returning to Ontario.
“Student exchanges were one of the big themes of that class,” Brousseau said. “I'd be willing to go back because everyone was speaking French. It was pretty cool. I'd like to see what's it's actually like to be in a school there.”
Gilles Robert, NDM directeur, said he would welcome the opportunity for an exchange.
“We're not the only ones having the same situations ... we're two minorities, living in a minority community and to meet other people in the same situation, that is very powerful,” Robert said.
FrancoSud looks to take part in the conference next year that is to be held in Quebec City.
