Department of Culture, Recreation, & Tourism
LAFAYETTE, La. – To broaden the educational opportunities available to French immersion students in Louisiana, the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) has partnered with the Représentation de l`OIF pour les Amériques (REPAM) to provide $15,000 to Lafayette-based NPR affiliate KRVS. The funds will support educational programming and opportunities for French immersion students in Louisiana via the KRVS program "Bonjour Louisiane," which airs Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.
"Bonjour Louisiane is a weekday French presence on KRVS, featuring music, folklore, news, and educational resources completely in French," said Megan Brown Constantin, assistant general manager at KRVS. "The program`s host, Colby LeJeune, and an assistant producer will work together to aid immersion students in creating content to air on the program. The goal is to strengthen the idea that the second language they`re learning has a place in this community outside of the classroom."
"The French culture is a big part of the history of our state. It`s important for us to celebrate, to continue, and to build this heritage," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "In Louisiana, we have a native French-speaking population and a robust immersion program that will help open countless doors for students, exposing them to our rich French heritage, culture, and history."
With offices in Quebec, Canada, REPAM is a branch of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a global organization that brings together states and governments with a shared interest in the French language. Part of the OIF`s mission is to support initiatives that strengthen the French language throughout the world, with REPAM`s sole focus being on OIF members of the Americas. Louisiana became an observing member of the OIF in 2018 and is the only state in the country with such a designation.
At the beginning of November, REPAM representative Sabine Mengue Abessolo visited Louisiana to meet with the staff of CODOFIL, KRVS, and other French-language organizations in Lafayette. Abessolo`s goal was to better understand the potential of Louisiana`s French-speaking communities, which will better inform future collaborations between Louisiana and the OIF.
"Madame Abessolo`s visit to Louisiana was the beginning of what we think will be a productive partnership between CODOFIL and the OIF to support French language projects in Louisiana," said Peggy Feehan, CODOFIL executive director. "Our membership in the OIF has in only a few years provided Louisiana with so many educational and economic opportunities that have elevated our status on the world stage. We look forward to working with the OIF on future initiatives to strengthen and develop French in Louisiana."