- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

I would write this article in French, but I know there is a nine-year old reading it who would find my spelling mistakes. The Owen Sound Hub was honoured to be invited to Saturday's concours regional d'épellation en français at École catholique Saint-Dominique-Savio.

A collaboration between Épelle-Moi Canada and Spelling Bee of Canada, the French spelling competition was open to students from grades 1 through 8 - ages 6 through 14 - from across the region. The two grade 7 and 8 students who registered this year will be competing in a regional competition in Cambridge.

In the grade 1 to 3 group, George Jr. Harris, École élémentaire catholique Frère-André, took 1st place, David Laberge, École élémentaire catholique Notre-Dame-de-la-Huronie, placed 2nd, and Frédérick Savoie from École St. Dominic-Savio placed 3rd.

In the grade 4 to 6 group, the 1st place speller was Amalia Stolzfus-Forand (photo to the left) from École St. Dominic-Savio. Mia-Michelle Harris, École Frère-André placed 2nd and Reed Johnson, École élémentaire Notre-Dame-de-la-Huronie placed 3rd.

On May 3, the 1st and 2nd place winners in both age groups will advance to the Provincial/National spelling competition in Toronto, at CBC's Glenn Gould Studio.

École catholique Saint-Dominique-Savio is Grey-Bruce's only Francophone school, with students from kindergarten to grade 12 taking all their subjects (except English) in French. Local volunteers  organized this first annual regional competition, and will run it in future years.  Organizers hope in years to come it will attract students studying French in Bluewater and Grey-Bruce District Catholic schools.

Épelle-Moi Canada aims to promote the French language among young Francophones and Francophiles aged 6 to 14 across Canada, and support from CSCProvidence school board, community and national sponsors allowed them to offer cash prizes, medals, Larousse dictionaries, and “plusieurs articles souvenirs” for the students.