May 31, 2024

On May 23, over 300 young chess masters in grades 3 to 12 from 20 French-language Catholic and public schools gathered in Wawa for the eighth Franco-Nord-Ouest Chess Tournament. The competition, hosted by École Saint-Joseph in Wawa, attracted francophone students from the following elementary and secondary schools: École Ste-Marie (Azilda), École Sacré-Cœur (Chapleau), ÉSC Trillium (Chapleau), École Alliance St-Joseph (Chelmsford), École St-Joseph (Dubreuilville), École La Renaissance (Espanola), École Notre-Dame (Hamner), École Saint Nom de Jésus (Hornepayne), École St-Paul (Lively), École Notre-Dame-du-Sault (Sault Ste. Marie), École Écho-des-Rapides (Sault Ste. Marie), ÉS Notre-Dame-du-Sault (Sault-Ste-Marie), École St-Charles Borromée (St-Charles), École St-Denis (Sudbury), École Ste-Thérèse (Val Thérèse), École St-Thomas (Warren), ÉSC de La Vérendrye (Thunder Bay), École l’Escalade (Wawa), École Saint-Joseph (Wawa) and ÉS Saint-Joseph (Wawa).

École Saint-Joseph (Wawa) has acquired a well-deserved reputation due to its students’ passion for this timeless game. Chess is a discipline that requires a great deal of forward strategizing in addition to a sharp memory and good problem-solving skills. The school’s goal in hosting the friendly francophone tournament is to promote the game and encourage Northern Ontario youth to explore the discipline and develop their chess skills. This year, no less than 122 medals were awarded.

“The tournament not only allows students to develop their problem-solving skills but makes it possible for young Francophone aficionados to meet and collectively enjoy their passion for chess. We take great pride in observing the deep roots of our Francophonie in Northern Ontario,” stated René-Guy Nobert, École Saint-Joseph (Wawa) teacher and tournament organizer.

École Saint-Joseph wishes to recognize the support of Wawa’s Rotary Club, which has made it possible for the Franco-Nord-Ouest Chess Tournament to expand and help provide a meaningful experience for Northern Ontario Francophone students!

Team results by category:

Grades 3 and 4

1^st: Saint-Joseph, Wawa

2^nd: Saint-Joseph, Wawa

3^rd: Saint-Joseph, Wawa, and Notre-Dame-du-Sault, Sault Ste. Marie

Grades 5 and 6

1^st: Saint-Joseph, Wawa

2^nd: Sacré-Cœur, Chapleau

3^rd: Notre-Dame-du-Sault, Sault Ste. Marie

Grades 7 and 8

1^st: St-Denis, Sudbury

2^nd: Saint-Joseph, Wawa

3^rd: Ste-Thérèse, Val Thérèse

Secondary

1^st: ÉSC Trillium, Chapleau

2^nd: Saint-Joseph, Wawa

3^rd: Saint-Joseph, Wawa, and Saint-Joseph, Wawa

Individual results by category:

Grades 3 and 4

1^st: Zackael Lefrançois, Saint-Joseph, Wawa; Caleb Lefrançois, Saint-Joseph, Wawa; and Finn Maclary, Saint-Joseph, Wawa

2^nd: Maxim Auger, Saint-Joseph, Wawa

3^rd: Tucker Charbonneau, Saint-Joseph, Wawa; Catherine Bouchard, Sacré-Cœur, Chapleau; Sierra Bumstead, Saint-Joseph, Wawa; Ryker Cada, Notre-Dame-du-Sault, Sault Ste. Marie; and Elmira Wilson, Saint-Joseph, Wawa.

Grades 5 and 6

1^st: Jeremy Leonard, Saint-Joseph, Wawa; and Gavin Schaffer, Écho-des-Rapides, Sault Ste. Marie

2^nd: Jack St-Amand, Sacré-Cœur, Chapleau ; David Vachon, Notre-Dame-du-Sault, Sault Ste. Marie; Asher Orton, Sacré-Cœur, Chapleau ; Asher Caswell, Notre-Dame-du-Sault, Sault Ste. Marie; Bekem Lavergne, Saint-Joseph, Wawa; Yann Fotso Tamga, Sacré-Cœur, Chapleau ; Miguel Lefrançois, Saint-Joseph, Wawa; Cédric Hardy,  Saint-Joseph, Wawa; and Quenton Maze, Saint-Joseph, Wawa.

3^rd: Aaron Saari, Sacré-Cœur, Chapleau ; Roc Vallée, Notre-Dame-du-Sault, Sault Ste. Marie; Lyra Bilodeau, Notre-Dame-du-Sault, Sault Ste. Marie; Ethan Halford, Notre-Dame-du-Sault, Sault Ste. Marie; and Owen Bélanger, Saint-Joseph, Wawa.

Grades 7 and 8

1^st: Gavin Burnham, Saint-Joseph, Wawa; and Jesse Franklin, Saint-Joseph, Wawa.

2^nd: Marielle Fotso, Trillium, Chapleau

3^rd: Alec Boudreau, Notre-Dame, Hanmer; Mathéo Trépanier, Ste-Thérèse, Val Thérèse; Luca Chartrand, Ste-Marie, Azilda; Taryn Lavigne, Notre-Dame, Hanmer; Sébastien Joly, Ste-Thérèse, Val Thérèse; Stéphane Robillard, Alliance St-Joseph, Chelmsford; Edmond Surette, de La Vérendrye, Thunder Bay; Cédéric Woychuk, St-Denis, Sudbury; Éliam Charrette, St-Denis, Sudbury; and Peter Pagnutti, Ste-Thérèse, Val Thérèse.

Secondary

1^st: Noah Taylor, ÉSC Trillium, Chapleau; and Xander Jaworski, ÉSC Trillium, Chapleau

2^nd: Jake Sanchioni, ÉSC Trillium, Chapleau; Jack Pye, ÉSC de La Vérendrye, Thunder Bay; and Ava Borho, ÉSC Trillium, Chapleau

3^rd: Emmanuel Boucher, ÉSC Trillium, Chapleau; and Corey Jarrell, ÉS Saint-Joseph, Wawa

The Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon offers a French-language Catholic Educational Program that is widely recognized for its excellence. The CSC Nouvelon provides a quality learning environment and academic program that runs from early childhood to adult education, with some 5,650 students enrolled in 27 elementary and 10 secondary schools.

Source:
Paul de la Riva
Director of Communications and External Relations
Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon
705-673-5626, ext. 294
705-677-8195 (cell)