French Student takes out state title

October, 2009

When Dean Cassano, a Year 11 Beaconhills student from the Village Campus, challenged himself to compete in the Alliance Française language competition recently, he not only challenged himself, he did so successfully that he was victorious over all other Victorian competitors in his section.

The annual competition is run by Alliance Française, a French cultural centre sponsored by the French government.  The Alliance Française in Melbourne was established in 1890 and it is one of three centres in Australia.

The language and poetry competition; ‘Berthe Mouchette Competition’, is now in its 108th year and is named after the foundress of the Alliance Française de Melbourne. The competition is opened to students of French from Years 1 to 12. For senior students in Years 10 to 12, there are two examinations, an oral and a written. Most schools in Victoria participate in the competition as it is considered quite a prestigious title to win.

For Year 12 entrants, there is a section for native speakers and for students who have spent up to eight months in a French speaking country.  Dean Cassano is a Year 11 student, who is undertaking French units 3 and 4.  He competed in the native speakers section ‘hors councours’ which literally translated means outside or beyond competition – that is, he won!

Beaconhills College had four other Year 11 and 12 students who made it to the finals in the oral examinations, all Year 11 and 12 students received an honourable or very honourable mention.