Snow has been in scarce supply this year in southern Ontario, but French immersion students from the Upper Grand District School Board entered a different world as they travelled into the mountains north of Montreal on Feb. 12.
Snow was piled up to two feet high on rooftops, and local traffic included snowmobiles.
The 22 students were visiting Saint-Donat, a small town nestled in the Laurentians.
“Saint-Donat is the place to go for a full immersion experience in French language and culture,” said Christina Schilling, curriculum leader.
“The town has welcomed students for the past 24 years, encouraging [them] to practise their language skills.”
As one student said, “Even at the town bakery I got kudos for speaking French. Everyone in this town is in on it.”
This is the second annual UGDSB trip to Saint-Donat. The students on this trip were from Centennial CVI in Guelph, Erin DHS, Norwell DHS in Palmerston and Wellington Heights SS in Mount Forest.
“Everywhere students went, from the hotel restaurant, to the town variety store, to Mont Garceau ski hill for their lessons – everything was in French,” said Schilling.
Teacher chaperones on the trip were Schilling, Teresa Katerberg from Erin DHS, and Joel Eidt from Norwell DSS.
A total of 192 students from various schools in Ontario took part in activities such as a music and drumming workshop, learning traditional Québecois legends, snowshoeing by the light of the stars, cross-country skiing, and a talent show.
Half of each day was spent at the ski hill and many of the students skied or snowboarded for the first time.
The students said highlights of the trip included skiing/snowboarding, tubing, making new friends and using French in a real context.
On Feb. 15 the snow was gradually left behind as the bus drove back to Ontario. Students and teachers agreed they would all go again.
