A Convent Prep student is the first ever 2013 Mademoiselle Francophonie.
Hana Raffoul Andre emerged victorious over her eight other competitors at the Arawak House of Culture on Sunday evening.
First runner up position went to Precious Riviere of St. Martin’s Primary School, second runner was Marquelle Phillip of Pioneer Prep and Sherenn Leblanc of Penville Primary took the fourth place. Hana Raffoul Andre received the award for best in Francophonie wear, Ms Amenity went to Precious Riviere, the awards for Ms. Photogenic and Best French wear went to Jamoia Bruno, Best Oral Presentation to Marquelle Phillip, and Best Talent to Neera Jno Baptiste.
Other participants were Nia Blaize from the Massacre Primary, Marckeba Francis from the Roseau Primary and Neisha Durand from W.S. Stevens School.
The participants were judged in French Oral Presentation, Performing Talent, French Fashion Wear, and Francophonie wear depicting the Francophonie countries such as Mauritius, Ivory Coast, Haiti, Madagascar, Senegal, Belgium, France, Cameroun and Lebanon.
In an interview with DNO, Coordinator of the pageant, Charlene White Christian, said the show exceeded her expectations.
“I’m blown away. I knew that the children were working very hard but I did not expect this quality. They put on such a wonderful show and I am so pleased because the parents themselves also put themselves out. I was most impressed with the francophone national wear round where the children had to portray their francophonie wears … the children just did a marvelous job,” she said.
Christian said further that the show is expected to be an annual event.
“It is supposed to be an annual show and we are hoping in the near future that there will be an international Ms. Francophonie Pageant but it started here,” she said.
Christian also said the show was filmed and will be sent to the Paris branch for their feedback and is hopeful that the event will be sponsored bigger and it will spread throughout the region and hopefully the world.
“All the areas can be improved to make it even better but probably the area that I may see needs a little improvement is the oral presentation. Some of them the language was rather basic we had others use a lot of idioms, expressions and that is probably something we have to work on we have to do with the students so next year everybody will be on the same level,” She pointed out.
The theme of the was: ‘Le Francais Toujour Vivant’ and it brought the curtains down on Francophonie Month.
Well well well. Each child’s school was given some cash to help with expenses. The Child from Warner was great in her talent. I mean really great. from my knowledge she was trained by a Haitian national and She worked really hard on her speech, but as a French speaking Teacher, some of her French grammar was more Haitan Creole based NOT grammatic French. The french CREATIVE fashion wear, was not impressive, nothing to do with No funds, with the same material, she could do so much more…… I really really love the Marigot outfit. Something I would wear myself. I DO AGREE, that Goodwill Primary had a costume on. And I do want to also ask IF the judges could understand the french language. But in my opinion, and that is just mine, the child who won was good. next year, Ms White, will be better! It was good to see that ALL the french teachers were there with their students, helping assiting etc.. Kuddos to that.
If you listened well you would have seen that there were three foreign judges including the Deputy French consular from France and the Director of the Alliance Francaise, so in terms of understanding French the judges who had to judge the speech were all more capable than even our own French teachers here. The Warner students speech was done in pefect French she had no creole in her speech only her talent so be corrected. I am a fluent French Speaker myself and the students all spoke very good French. Maybe some of the accents were a bit rough but you cannot penalize them for that, even our own French teachers in Dominica do not speak with a French accent.
I want to congratulate all the children. They performed good. They were all winners to me. VEry good show
I hope you Dominicans can stop complaining,the show was meant to be educational,it served its purpose,stop complaining about who should and should not win.The child’s speech had nothing to do with Haitian creole.this has nothing to do with financial status,the children all had sponsors,stop blaming,the children for what they wore or said.Stop acting foolish people!
show was good but judging was wayyyy offffffffff and that will surley discorage schools from taking part in the future ….Roseau schools dont HAVE to win everything…….sorry ms white…..
Well well well. Each child’s school was given some cash to help with expenses. The Child from Warner was great in her talent. I mean really great. from my knowledge she was trained by a Haitian national and She worked really hard on her speech, but as a French speaking Teacher, some of her French grammar was more Haitan Creole based NOT grammatic French. The french CREATIVE fashion wear, was not impressive, nothing to do with No funds, with the same material, she could do so much more…… I really really love the Marigot outfit. Something I would wear myself. I DO AGREE, that Goodwill Primary had a costume on. And I do want to also ask IF the judges could understand the french language. But in my opinion, and that is just mine, the child who won was good. next year, Ms White, will be better! It was good to see that ALL the french teachers were there with their students, helping assiting etc.. Kuddos to that.
this shoe was not fairly judged i stand by my decision ms. haiti should have won
I’m interested to know if all the judges could speak and understand french. Can the organizers answer this question please?
Utter rubbish. Warner should have placed, because she is poor. Stop the discrimination, wicked judges. That child from warner was consistent in all her rounds. When u are poor in a country thats how it is. wicked people. I would not send my child in any of this and the schools should back out.
I am very pleased that everyone is talking about the pageant but I would like to ask everyone to please stop putting negative comments. As the Coordinator for the pageant, the students all did fantastic. We had a panel of professional judges and every judge judged one round to prevent bias. The results of the judges should be respected and I am asking that those speculations being made here be stopped. No judge penalized anyone for speaking fluent French, this is untrue. As a person in pageants myself you can never please everyone with results of pageants. sometimes the person we support doesn’t win but that does not mean that that person did not also perform well. All the students performed very well. No judge wad paid for the activity.
The objective was to promote the French language and educate others on the countries of the Francophonie and this I think was done very well. The parents, teachers and schools all worked very hard with the contestants and these children are so loving. I am proud of them all and they all did very well like I said.
I am asking that your comments be positive. Thanks and keep congratulating them all.
Toujours like always ends with an “s”
The show was a great show. Penville should have gotten the prize for the oral presentation. the talents was clearly between Penville and Warner. Warner was great. but convent was consistent through out.
good job Charlene.
If this show is not about promoting the language and the judges and organisers have other objectives, they should refrain from asking parents and schools to allow their children/students to participate in such pageants.
It clearly appears that they are misguided and their focus is misplaced. The young girls all did well and they must be congratualted. But the results left allot to be desired.
It is riduculous that in a pageant where the objective is to promote the french language, that the judges would penalise a child for speaking the french language “too fluently”. The child was born in Dominica to Dominican parents and has never lived in or visited a french country, but the judges have decided on their own, that she is french and so its unfair to the other students? what utter nonsence!!
The child worked hard to prepare for the show and to perfect her pronounciation. Instead of rewarding her for such hard work. she is unjustly penalised. what a shame!
Helllo,
The children all did well,there can only be one winner.Miss Haiti was great on that talent!Congrats to whoever penned it.The child was so unbelievably real.Hearts out to all the kids and the organizers,looking forward to the next miss francophone!
The pageant was of a very high standard. I could not believe the quality of the performances of these young ladies and the organisation I think was excellent. Our other pageants must take note because this whow was greattttt. All the students did well, in my opinion, the winner was well deserved because she was the most consistent. The other contestants dropped in various rounds. I however would have the penville child first runner up. I really liked the child from warner but in her fshion wear I think she dropped there and there was no real wow with her francophone wear. This is where I think she may have lost points. The judges did a good job and we need to always look at consistency in those things. The Raffoul child was good from round 1. And in the last round I think she just blew them away with her presentation of the fancophone wear. The person I was supporting did not win but I am pleased with the results. Hats off to Charlene and her team. A very good effort for the promotion of french. looking forward to it next year. DNO can we have some pictures please.§
Unfortunately , it was not her fault for the francophony wear.That`s exactely how the haitian national wear is.
Well,I think you should tell them how to modify the National wear of a country.Call the haitians and tell them modify their national wear.It was a casual wear not a fashion wear,the judges should have been well informed of what they were looking for,
Congrats Hana banana. Ya’ll need to jus take a seat. Teach your kids about sportsmanship. They all did well but Hana did extremely well. She was confident in all rounds and the judges saw it. We Dominicans too like to cry down another when things don’t go our way. And congrats to all the other young girls who did well.
Miss Penville made a huge error with her talent, and shouted, in her mike, ‘Oh s**t man!!”. apart from that, She modeled excellently… The Warner child’s talent was to the max….. Excellently executed….. However, her spectacular wear left much to be admired… “Miss Raffoul-Andre” was very consistent….. And as with many pageants we over look consistency…. A child maybe great in 3 rounds, but drop one, then that would bring down their average points….. It was a tough competition…. ALL the girls really exceeded everyone’s expectation. I personally think the judges judged fairly…. although my girl who got best spectacular wear did NOT place, I spoke to some of the judges and they should me in which round her score dropped…… Looking forward for Next year… Rotaract Club should get notes from the Miss Francaphonie Committee..
From what I heard from the masses, it was suppose to be a creative casual wear in blue,red and white.Not a spectacular wear or costume.Something you could go to town and feel comfortable in.Thats why it was called french casual.Guess the only persons with that was the pioneer,penville and the warner child.The child who won had a costume.Judgesssssssssssssssssssss
I so agree. Can believe the judges penalize a child for being too fluent “seems she was raised in a french country’ A child who has never set foot in a french country. She worked hard and practiced what she had too do. Oh Please this is not encouraging to children at that age. I’m proud of her.
same thing that happened at the queen show!lol. The little girl from penville or warner should have won.
I so agree…..
The Show was of very High Standard – Congrats to the organizer But Please People Please Miss Raffoul had NO PLACE THERE. Judges U are so lucky …………!!!!!!
vole to the max, u sick or something? ms raffoul was the best, she understood what she was potraying as her grandfather is lebanese. for a nine year old child she was better than even adults. shut your mouth and go somewhere to lick your ….
shut your mouth. what de hell we care where he grandfather comes from. U Dominicans are to wicked. because the child from Warner is poor. Poor people children making it to retarded
Actually I’m not surprised at this comment although I wasn’t even at the show.
That’s great ! I speak very good French. I’ll teach the kids in my community. I had thought about that a long time ago, and right now, I feel encouraged. Good that I didn’t throw or give away the children books that I have. I and maybe others would like to see some pics. Thanks! Take note, the word “Toujours” is always written with S at at end.
take note we no longer say dominicaine onless you are from the dominican republic.We say DOMINIQUAIS/DOMINIQUAISE.
Congrats to Hana….and all the other girls. They performed so well. Its just a pity that things wasn’t judged correctly. Can’t understand why in Dominica we can’t have a fair contest. Are the judges paid?????…..or are they given different criteria’s from the parents? Please someone answer me?
wow i was at the show.it was brilliant but i think the judges came with there winner very unfortunate,,,
Congrats to Ms Hana!! it was a fair judging… stop thinking of the name and school… she did a GREAT job… her acting skills was on point.. she speak very well in french and her different costumes was very well made and she represented the country very well … i dont know where y’all come with this paid nonsense… if was whoever u supported won and someone came and say the same thing.. u would have get upset… so if u dont have nothing good to say.. say nothing..
Its interesting you should ask about Criteria. You see Chaperons and parents do not use the Criteria given to them to train their contestants. This a key tool and must be used, not because the indivdual is strong in an area they will win. For Christ sake use the ‘CRITERIA’ – when the results do not go their way they cry cheat until they seen it on Marpin or SAT. Ms Dominica 2013 Chaperone is a leaving example on how her focus was on the Criteria and that worked for her. Learn from that future contestants of any pageant and chaperones and parents.
Congrats Ms. Convent Prep.
This surely sounds like the chaprone of Miss Domincia 2013 talking right here!!! lol.