FRENCHVILLE – Six St. John Valley students have been selected winners of the seventh French Oratorical-Oratoire Francais Contest sponsored by the area’s Le Club Francais.

The students, who had to give speeches in French, were finalists in local school contests held last week at Wisdom High School in St. Agatha, Community High School in Fort Kent and Madawaska High School.

“We do this annual contest – we have been for the last seven years – to try and get students to speak French,” Cleo Ouellette, chairman of the project, said Thursday. “Many St. John Valley students already know a lot of French, probably picked up from their parents or friends,” the former French teacher at Wisdom High School said.

Ashley Hebert of Madawaska took first place in the advanced category, winning $150 for his effort. Jacques Beaupre of Madawaska High School received $100 for second place, and Lance Morin of Community High School received $75 for third place.

Michelle Morneault of Madawaska High School won $100 for first place in the beginner division. Anna Ouellette of Wisdom High School received $75 for second place, and Samantha Boutot of Community High School received $50 for third place.

Local contests at each school resulted in two winners in each division for the regional competition which was held Monday night at the St. John Valley Technical School.

Judges in the regional competition were Marie Anne Gauvin of Madawaska, Therese Dumais of Madawaska and Gil Albert of Fort Kent.

The theme of the speeches for the beginner division was “L’importance du francais dans le monde moderne [The Importance of French in the Modern World].” For advanced participants, the theme was “Le francais dans le cadre des Learning Results [French Within the Framework of Maine’s Learning Results].”

The works recited by the students were original 3-to-5-minute-long compositions done completely in French. Students who may participate are in grades nine through 12 and have completed two years of study in French, along with French courses at the elementary and middle school levels.

Local prizes for being selected to participate in the regional competition were French Collins-Robert Dictionaries and certificates.