Ready, Set, Read: Tenth Graders Takes on “Prix Goncourt des lycéens”

Every three years, the LFC is invited to participate in the “Prix Goncourt des lycéens” — a literary competition based on the prestigious “Prix Goncourt,” in which students are tasked with reading, analyzing and debating each of the texts selected by the Académie Goncourt within a seven-week span. Starting in September, students in 10th-grade Bac A accepted the challenge, with each being assigned specific responsibilities tailored to their individual strengths and interests to guide them throughout the process. 

“Everyone had different roles to help maintain the functionality of our group,” said 10th-grader Mathias B.J., who was selected to represent the LFC at the national deliberation in Paris. “It was important for us to do these jobs to ensure full participation and the highest placement possible [in the competition].”

These assignments – which included everything from creating an online discussion board to sharing schoolwide updates on the LFC’s social media – helped enhance reading comprehension in preparation for their final deliberation, which took place at the LFC in November. During this four-hour debate, students selected three books to represent at the national level and decided who would defend them.

Given the complex content and limited time frame, students had to demonstrate remarkable commitment and collaboration in order to complete the project. Their roles required teamwork, which was shown through weekly workshops led by students on topics such as writing, presenting and debating.

“The main challenge was completing fourteen novels in six weeks, which tested time management and perseverance,” one student noted. “Through the process, we improved organization, eloquence and teamwork, while deepening our understanding of the material and learning to share and respect diverse perspectives.”

After a passionate debate, Mathias B.J. was elected ambassador and flew to Paris to participate in the regional competition, watch the final jury deliberations, meet the winning author, and proudly represent the Lycée Français de Chicago. The winning book is well worth a read: « Madelaine avant l'aube » by Sandrine Collette.