The Vanier College Foundation is proud to support six Vanier College students and French teacher Catherine Duranleau who have been preparing to represent Québec at this year’s Prix Goncourt des Lycéens.
By MARGUERITE CORRIVEAU
Originally Published: November 9, 2012
2000 students from France and other countries
Since its creation in 1988, the Goncourt des Lycéens has aimed at giving students a taste for reading and writing and for discussing books. Over the years it acquired the prestige of a true literary prize to the point of now being a touchstone of each literary season when new books are launched. The jury is composed of some 2000 French students aged 15 to 18, as well students from other countries who read the books officially selected by the Académie Goncourt. It is therefore students who select the winner after discussions, meetings and debates.
November 13-15 debates to select a winner
« Six students and I will be living a wonderfully stimulating and demanding literary adventure, » states French teacher Catherine Duranleau who had the daring idea of submitting the name of Vanier College to represent Québec at the Goncourt des Lycéens. « We’ve now almost finished reading all 11 novels in preparation for the regional deliberations in Paris on November 13, 2012 and in Rennes on November 15, when the grand winner will be announced. We are very anxious to get going. »
The first time an English Cegep represents Québec at this competition
Vanier College, the only foreign school on the French jury this year, will represent Québec and the world very well. The Vanier students reflect not only the rich cultural diversity of the College and of modern-day Québec which is more and more cosmopolitan, but also reflects the French world of the future. It’s also the first time an English Cegep represents Québec at this competition.
Past participation in the Prix littéraire des collégiens
It’s the College’s participation in the Prix littéraire des collégiens for two consecutive years here in Québec that gave Catherine Duranleau the idea of submitting Vanier’s candidacy for representing Québec at the Goncourt des Lycéens. «It’s with great enthusiasm that the members of the organizing committee of the Prix littéraire des collégiens accepted and endorsed Vanier’s submission, » indicates Claude Bourgie Bovet who is responsible for the Prix littéraire des collégiens and who spearheads the selection of a Québec cegep for the Goncourt des Lycéens. It’s also worth noting that almost the entire cost of this project has been covered by grants that Catherine Duranleau managed to obtain.
