The audience arrives for the English Qualifiers at the Fei & Milton Wong Experimental Theatre in downtown Vancouver.
2014 English Champion Roan Shankaruk introduces the 12 competitors who hope to progress to the English Finals.
Roan introduces the judges (l to r): Fred Wah, Lorna Crozier, and Jordan Abel.
The contest is streamed online. Sujood Thraya from Edmonton Islamic Academy recites “I Am the People, the Mob” by Carl Sandburg.
Daniel Gallagher from Moncton’s Bernice MacNaughton High School recites “Two Words: A Wedding” by bp Nichol.
Tsion Berie from Calgary’s Notre Dame High School recites “At the Centre” by Afua Cooper.
David White from Assumption College Catholic Secondary School recites “Sometimes a Voice (1)” by Don McKay.
Marissa Prado from Vancouver’s Little Flower Academy recites “i am graffiti” by Leanne Simpson.
The judges watch and make their decisions.
The six students moving on to The English Finals are (l to r):
Charlotte Egan, Mary, Mother of God School, Toronto, ON
Luc Maurer, St. George’s School, Vancouver, BC
Stephen Chankov, University of Toronto Schools, Toronto, ON
Sujood Thraya, Edmonton Islamic Academy, Edmonton, AB
Chloe Harris, Montague Regional High School, Montague, PE
Marissa Prado, Little Flower Academy, Vancouver, BC
In the afternoon all 24 finalists and their teachers compete in our inaugural Amazing Recitation Race, where they complete poetry-based challenges around the city.
Stephen Chankov, Sujood Thraya, and Delphine Durand-Roy decide how to get to their next challenge.
The winning team arrives at the finish line!
The next morning the Rossi Gang play to a packed house at The French & Bilingual Finals.
Host Johanne Blais introduces our 12 contestants.
Charlotte Benoit from École internationale de Montréal prepares to recite in the French Stream.
Lara Radovic from Vancouver’s Prince of Wales Secondary School recites “Nous” by Geneviève Desrosiers.
Mireille Proulx from Montreal’s Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, who finished second in the French Stream, recites “Accompagnement” by Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau.
The French judges watch attentively (l to r): Pierre Nepveu, Marie-Andrée Gill, and Laurent Fadanni.
The tabulators Michelle and Jill Evers and Director David Smith confirm the results.
A huge cheer rises as Maxime Vallée-Girard is named the 2017 National Champion for the French Stream. Maxime attends Collège Durocher Saint-Lambert in St-Lambert, QC. He wins $5,000 and $1,000 for his school’s library.
Gabrielle Nebrida-Pépin and her parents celebrate after she's named the 2017 Bilingual Champion. Gabrielle wins $5,000 and an additional $1,000 for the library at her school, École des Pionniers-de-Maillardville, Port Coquitlam, BC.
In the afternoon, our finalists, teachers, and local students attend our panel discussion, Resisting, Surviving, and Embracing: Nationhood and Identity on #Canada150. Our host, poet Jordan Abel (left) was joined onstage by fellow poet Jónína Kirton and...
...French Program Coordinator Catherine Cormier-Larose and poets Marie-Andrée Gill and Joanne Arnott.
Competitor Hannah Halpern from Toronto French School asks the panel a question.
In the evening our students arrive to attend the English Finals & Showcase (l to r): Daniel Gallagher, David White, Katie Beale, Hannah Halpern, Lorraine Fabre, and Elizabeth Wong.
The evening's host, writer and CBC personality Bill Richardson, welcomes the audience.
Bill introduces the six English Stream finalists.
Charlotte Egan from Mary, Mother of God School in Toronto recites “Fire Watch” by Ken Babstock.
Luc Maurer, representing St. George’s School in Vancouver, recites “From Chapter I” by Christian Bök
After the intermission, Johanne Blais introduces the top three students from the French and Bilingual Streams, who each recite a poem.
Bilingual champion Gabrielle Nebrida-Pépin recites “Walking Both Sides of an Invisible Border” by Alootook Ipellie.
French champion Maxime Vallée-Girard recites “Soir d’hiver” by Émile Nelligan.
Bill Richardson congratulates Alyssa Howard from Montreal’s Lower Canada College for winning second place in the Bilingual Stream.
All 24 students take to the stage for a round of applause.
Co-founder Krystyne Griffin thanks the judges, students, and teachers for all their efforts.
French Stream winners (l to r):
2nd place: Mireille Proulx from Montreal’s Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, QC
1st place: Maxime Vallée-Girard from Collège Durocher Saint-Lambert, St-Lambert, QC
3rd place: Jeanne Cantin from Collège François-de-Laval, Quebec City, QC
Bilingual Stream winners (l to r):
3rd place: Ji Thevenard, Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate & Vocational School, Kitchener, ON
1st place: Gabrielle Nebrida-Pépin, École des Pionniers-de-Maillardville, Port Coquitlam, BC
2nd place: Alyssa Howard, Lower Canada College, Montreal, QC
English Stream winners, l to r:
2nd place: Charlotte Egan, Mary, Mother of God School in Toronto, ON
1st place: Luc Maurer, St. George’s School in Vancouver, BC
3rd place: Chloe Harris, Montague Regional High School in Montague, PE
Students, teachers, and poets enjoy the reception at Vancouver’s Revel Room.
Lorna Crozier congratulates National English Champion Luc Maurer at the reception.
Catherine Cormier-Larose picks names at random to recite at the open mic.
Marissa Prado from Vancouver’s Little Flower Academy reads her own poem.
Co-founder Scott Griffin recites a poem at the open mic.
Back at the theatre, this year’s young volunteers celebrate the end of a fantastic week. Maybe they will be future champions!