Girls pave way for others by taking on challenge

Best friends Allison Lombard and Jordan Blake, the first students to graduate from Jasper’s Francophone school, received their diplomas in a heartfelt ceremony on May 29.

The girls switched from Jasper Jr./Sr. High School to Ecole Desrochers at the beginning of Grade 9, when the Francophone school was just getting on its feet under principal Marie-Claude Faucher.

Because of her added role as teacher and because of the small class sizes, Faucher grew to know the graduates well.

“I wasn’t expecting it to come so quickly,” an emotional Faucher said. “Hopefully they’ll come back to visit. They’re big role models, the younger students see them as so much older and mature.”

While the girls adjusted their hair and gowns in the basement of the Lutheran church, Lombard said she was intimidated by the number of guests filing in above.

“Everyone upstairs is just for us,” she said, helping Blake with her mortarboard.

After making the tough decision to take on Grade 9 curriculum in a language they knew little of, the girls said though there were times they grew tired of the challenge and missed their old friends, they never considered quitting.

“The fact that we started and we accomplished so much after first year, why would we stop?” Lombard said.

She said being able to speak French is an ability of which she’s most proud.

“I work at a restaurant and when people come in and need help I just speak French to them,” she said. “It’s one of the best feelings.”

The girls obviously share a solid bond. When Blake was asked how it felt to be finishing school, Lombard interjected, “Scary.”

Nodding, Blake affirmed, “ Scary.”

As part of the ceremony, school board chair Laurent Bolduc thanked the girls for making a difficult decision that will have a huge impact.

“I am forever grateful to you,” he said. “You paved the road behind you for other kids, including my kids.”

Henri Lemire, school board superintendent, joked that politicians would envy Lombard and Blake’s bilingualism.

“Mr. Harper would give his left arm to speak Français like these girls,” he said. “I want to congratulate two absolutely wonderful young ladies. Felicitations.”

The school was created in Jasper because of parent and student support. In Canada, parents whose first language is French have a constitutional right to have their child educated in French where there are enough students to warrant it.

Faucher, originally from Drummondville Que., said schools like this are crucial to preserving culture.

“It’s my pride and my identity,” she said. “And this grew up bigger than I was expecting.”