Davis HS French Students Shine at State Competition; One Wins a Sweep of Medals and the Claude Boutin Award of Excellence

Disponible en: Español

The Texas French Symposium is a competition for high school students of French (non-native French speakers). It is an annual event promoting French language learning for high school students. TFS is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

Twenty-six (26) high schools and about 664 registered students from public and private schools across the state participated in the Texas French Symposium 2024 at the British International School of Houston in Katy, TX, this past weekend. The 2024 theme was Les Jeux Olympiques en France (The Olympic Games in France).

Davis High School, the only AISD campus to participate in the 2024 TFS, competed for the first time and placed 14th overall. Boyo Diop and Lynda Hecham are the school’s French teachers.

Sweepstakes Winner and Claude Boutin Award of Excellence in French

The standout winner was Yoisel Rodríguez Toledo, who placed first, second, and third in seven events:

Sweepstakes Winner

- 1st place in Interpretive Reading: Level 3
- 1st place in Interpretive Listening: Level 3
- 1st place in Poetry: Level 3
- 1st Place in Sight Reading: Level 3
- 2nd place in Extemporaneous Speaking: Level 3
- 2nd place in La Dictée (Dictation: write down words you hear): Level 3
- 3rd place in Prose: Level 3

As the top winner, Yoisel was named the scholarship winner to attend the French Language Camp from Concordia Language Villages this summer to practice his French skills and learn about different dialects.

Yoisel also received the Claude Boutin Award of Excellence in French. Earning distinction is not new to Yoisel. In 2022, he was named a Platinum winner in the 2022 National French Contest in Level/Division 2A. A Platinum winner is the highest award in the Le Grand Concours, including a Le Grand Concours Certificat d’honneur Lauréat National in French. Yoisel earned the top score in the nation in his level/division.

The overachieving senior was named a Questbridge National Match Scholar earlier this school year, earning a 4-year full-ride scholarship worth over $348,000. Yoisel matched with Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.