The Grade 6 and 7 students of École des Beaux Lacs were the stars of the show on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Oniva is a French show that travels from coast to coast stopping in at Canadian Francophone schools to help bridge the gap between rural French speaking students.
“It's quite exciting for the kids,” said Grade 6 and 7 teacher at Beaux Lacs Juanita Roy. This is the second year an entire episode has been filmed at the school. In other cases, show host Olivier Mercure would interview students about a certain episode topic, which would be included in other schools segments.
This year, the students were given special treatment and participated in activities based on the episodes theme, animals. The activities were filmed and will be used for the show, which will be airing in March.
“That's really an honour to have, because it doesn't happen that often,” said Roy about the entire episode filming at the local school.
Since September, the students have been creating a connection with the show, and early on in the school year, participated in interviews and met the producers. Over the past few months, the students have watched old episodes, and followed Oniva on Instagram.
“They've been really excited,” noted Roy. “I find for Francophone kids, outside in a minority area, they don't often see that there are other kids right across Canada living in the same situation they are, and that Francophone schools are not just Bonnyville. It's right across Canada, and there is a large community, and they are part of it.”
Logan Micheaud, Grade 7, was one of the lucky students participating in the episode, and said it was a unique, fun, and exciting opportunity.
“I find there is a very low chance of getting this (opporunity) in a school, and it's very fun and very amusing,” he said. “I have learned leadership skills, I have learned that these types of things can unite your friendship, and that these types of things just make your day better.”
Fellow Beaux Lacs student Alexandre Cardinal, Grade 6, said he too has learned leadership skills through the experience.
Cardinal added it was through their morning activity where they were asked to spell out the names of animals using letters on their shirts that he learned a thing or two about leadership. Helping each other, students would direct others where they needed to stand to spell out the word successfully in French.
“It's very different because something like this never happens,” Cardinal said.
Show producer Gaetan Benoit said the word Oniva, means Let's Go in French, and although it is not spelt that way exactly, it is more a play on words.
“The program is all about being in movement. It's an educational show but it's also about having fun with kids, and helping out Francophone and French Immersion kids see that there are lots of them out of Québec who speak French,” explained Benoit.
Sometimes students of these programs and schools feel isolated in their communities, said Benoit, and the show is just one way of helping them understands they really aren't alone.
“The mandate is exactly that, to show Francophones in minority situations that they are not alone, and that there are a lot of people who speak French across Canada.”
For those students who are feeling isolated, they can sometimes wonder why they are being told to speak French.
“We want to show them that down the road, or the province next door… there are kids just like them, who speak like them, and who are living the same kind of linguistic identity.”
Growing up in Saskatchewan as a Francophone student, Benoit said he too often wondered why his parents sent him to a French speaking school, and relates to how some of the students within these schools feel.
“For me, it's almost like a vocation. We feel like what we are doing is important, and that it has some value,” he said. “It's important work and we are proud and happy to offer this service.”
For the past 13 years, the show has primarily focused on western Canada when filming, however this year, they have added an additional two episodes, and will include schools in the Maritimes.
“It's adding a whole new culture, and identity. I think it's good for the kids all over Canada… I think there is a lot of value to that.”
The episode filmed in Bonnyville will also feature a one on one true or false interview with the students, where they are given facts about animals and decide whether or not that statement is true or false.
The show will air on March 12, 2017, and will also be available after airing on YouTube.