Students prepare and deliver speeches in French on assigned or chosen topics.
Focuses on fluency, pronunciation, clarity, and expression.
Encourages critical thinking, creativity, and confidence in speaking French.
Open to French Immersion and Core French students in various grade levels.
Judged by teachers or community volunteers, often with awards for best speech, originality, and presentation skills.

Congratulations to French Immersion students, Alexandra Hanna (left), Isabella Leo (right), and Katherine Sherkin (far right), from Father Bressani CHS, who have qualified for and will represent the York Catholic District School Board at the provincial French Public Speaking Competition “Concours d’Art Oratoire” on May 2, at Glendon College. This achievement highlights their dedication to French learning. Good luck to our participants who will compete among the top students in Ontario. Bonne chance! Nous sommes très fiers de vous!

O’Poésie is a national French-language poetry contest for students in grades 1 to 12 (CEGEP 1) enrolled in FSL programs across Canada. This is an opportunity for students to explore the beauty and expressiveness of the French language through a creative learning project, to practice literary skills, and develop a sense of belonging in Canada’s Francophone community.

Submissions now open until February 8th, 2026!

To submit, please complete the form below and upload your poem as a PDF

THE RULES

The poem must be written in French.

The poem must have a title, be 15 to 20 free lines long, and fit on a single page (except for grades 1-3 who must submit a poem in haiku or acrostic form).

The poem must include at least two (for grades 1 – 6) or four (for grades 7 – 12) poetic devices (e.g. alliteration, onomatopoeia, metaphor, repetition, personification, etc.).

The poem must be written and edited solely by the author.

The poet must be a student studying French as a second language.

The poem must be submitted as a PDF file.

THE CATEGORIES

GROUP A: Core French & Intensive / Extended French

Grades 1 – 3 (Haiku or acrostic poem)

Grades 4 – 6

Grades 7 – 9 | Sec. 1 – 3

Grades 10 – 12 | Sec. 4 – CEGEP 1

GROUP B: French Immersion & Francization

Grades 1 – 3 (Haiku or acrostic poem)

Grades 4 – 6

Grades 7 – 9 | Sec. 1 – 3

Grades 10 – 12 | Sec. 4 – CEGEP 1

THE PRIZES

The top three winners in each of the eight categories (chosen from submissions across Canada) will receive gift cards and donated books. Prize values range from $25 to $150 each.

Grades 1 – 3: $25-$50

Grades 4 – 6: $50-$75

Grades 7 – 9 | Sec. 1 – 3: $50-$100

Grades 10 – 12 | Sec. 4 – CEGEP 1: $75-$150

Please access the following website to submit your poem:

https://cpf.ca/qc-nu/opoesie/#

The OECTA Jeunes Écrivains program celebrates students’ creative writing in French, recognizing originality, expression, and style, while encouraging young authors to develop their skills and gain recognition.

Writing pieces (poems or short stories) must be submitted to Mme D'Addario by February 25th, 2026.

The Moderns Department will be hosting a Concours d'Orthographe on April 22, 2026.