From different high schools in the Lowell area, several students were chosen to represent their school at a French oratory contest. Out of all those students, one was senior Abiral Thapa, who was chosen to represent Westford Academy.
At the 2025 Concours Oratoire held at Chelmsford High School on Feb. 4, Thapa placed first against competitors from Chelmsford, Tewksbury, and other high schools in the Lowell area. It was held by the Club Richelieu of Lowell, an international organization that encourages students who are learning French.
As part of the competition, participants were required to prepare an oral presentation that is 4-6 minutes in length on their observations and thoughts on how different francophone, or French-speaking, countries are addressing the issue of climate change.
“[The other competitors] definitely had a lot of skill and talent,” Thapa said. “When I went to deliver my speech, I [tried] to be expressive and make my elocution [the] best it could be.”
In preparation for the competition, it was important to practice the finer details of speaking, such as pronunciation. It was also necessary to explore the prompt from a few different perspectives to decide on a final topic to speak about.
“There were a few drafts [where I examined] other countries like Canada and Algeria before I decided on the countries I wanted,” Thapa said. “[…] I had to rehearse and make sure that my intonation and pronunciation were all good, and just keep iterating until it was the best I felt it could be.”
To select a student to represent WA, French teacher Katrina Lackner asked students in her AP class if they were interested in participating. There were ultimately two volunteers.
“Each of those students prepared a presentation that fit the requirements of the contest and they practiced on their own,” Lackner said. “They competed against each other and [the] class did a silent vote and they chose the student they wanted to represent them at the contest.”
Thapa has a deep love and appreciation for the French language that motivated him to compete. He hoped to apply his French speaking skills to something that would affect the community.
“I liked being able to use my French skills and knowledge, [as well as] my passion for the language to achieve something for [WA],” said Thapa.
Thapa and other participants were judged by a panel of 3 judges. His success at the contest enabled him to qualify for the Regional Contest at Rivier University on Mar. 29, where he will have to give the same speech. He also won a $400 cash prize.
“I was really pleased that all the time I spent writing and rehearsing and trying to refine my oratory was well spent,” Thapa said. “Knowing that I was going to the next level […], it was an enjoyable experience.”
