History of the Toronto Universities French Contest
The Toronto French Contest was first organized in 1975 by Catherine Liddy, Assistant Coordinator of Modern languages for the City of Toronto Board of Education, and it was open to senior students of French in Metropolitan Toronto. Sixty prizes were awarded to the students who performed well in both the written and oral components of the test which required excellence in the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
The success of the first contest encouraged the organizers to incorporate a non-profit company to enhance their charitable fundraising capability, the OMLTA Toronto French Contest Inc., founded in August 1975. As fundraising continued, a reserve fund was created which guaranteed the continuation of the Contest. In addition, special funds have been established to honour the late Roy Jackman and Ms. Claire Piché to recognize their contributions to the study of French as a second language in Toronto. In 2009, the reserve funds from OMLTA (Ontario Modern Languages Teachers’ Association Toronto) contributed to the creation of The French Contest Prize (approximately $175) which is awarded each year on the basis of academic merit to an undergraduate student with outstanding achievement in French who has completed his/her second or third year and is enrolled in third or fourth year of the specialist or major program in French.
The organization and hosting of the Contest now alternates between the University of Toronto and York University. The major prizes are bursaries, but there can also be other prizes awarded such as books or subscriptions which reward other deserving contestants while fostering their language skills. Over the 35 years of the Contest’s existence, more than 560 deserving students of French have had their efforts recognized and rewarded.
The Toronto Universities French Contest (LE CONCOURS DES UNIVERSITÉS TORONTOISES) will be held at St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto in 2010. The faculty, staff and students of the Department of French, St. George Campus look forward to welcoming candidates from the Toronto, Peel, York and Durham Public, Catholic, Private and Independent secondary schools.