News

On Wednesday, September 27th in the evening, the annual Forces Avenir Gala (Cégep level) took place at Théâtre Capitole. This annual event, the culmination of months of competition, celebrates the achievements of students and teachers in Cégeps around the province. 2023 represents the 25th year of Forces Avenir, and the gala recognized this anniversary in style.

It was a star-studded event, with special guests including former Quebec premier and current President of the Fondation Forces Avenir Pauline Marois, Minister of Higher Education Pascale Déry, and those involved in the founding of the project 25 years ago.

The gala took the form of a talk-show, with host Stéphan Bureau interviewing finalists in each category before representatives of Quebec businesses, each a partner of Forces Avenir, took to the stage to announce the winners. The majority of the event recognized projects run by students, in categories of arts and culture, social justice, business, environmentalism, mental health, science and technology, and education. It was inspiring to hear from the hard-working young people who have launched so many great initiatives.

Following an intermission, in which attendees were treated to an acrobatics show, the focus shifted to individuals' contributions. Students were recognized for either their engagement or their perseverance in difficult life circumstances. Just one category recognized teachers who make a substantial contribution to student life at Cégep, and St. Lawrence was proud that our very own Fred Martin was among the top three honourees in the province.

Martin took to the stage to speak with Stéphan Bureau and discussed his 33 years of involvement in the St. Lawrence community. There is no secret sauce for changing destinies, he said, because each student is unique. Drawing attention away from himself and focusing it on the many students with whom he has worked, Martin talked about Eco St. Lo, the college's environmental club. Students have started many projects over the years, he said, which are kept up by teachers following graduation. This results in many overlapping projects at the college, building upon each other and always producing something new. This is because our students are leaders, Martin stressed, who learn from doing. Following Martin's retirement last year, a new generation of teachers and staff have taken over the work of Eco St. Lo, making changes but continuing to respect the club's shared values.

The award for Avenir Personnel Engagé was presented by Luc Beauregard from the Centrale des syndicats du Québec; Martin's peers were Marc Privé from Cégep de Chicoutimi and Guillaume Maziade from Cégep Saint-Félicien. Ultimately, the category was won by Privé, who has supported students in entrepreneurship at his college.

If you are interested in watching the highlight reel from the gala, you can do so here. Alternatively, you can watch Fred Martin's interview in the full recording of the event here. If you're interested in applying for next year's Forces Avenir, you can learn more on their website.

Congratulations to Fred Martin on your achievement, and all the best in your future projects.

 

Fred Martin wears a flower, given to each finalist at the event.

 

Attendees watch as the gala's organizers recognize the 25th anniversary of Forces Avenir.

 

Acrobats wow during the gala's intermission.

 

Martin speaks with Stéphan Bureau about his contributions to St. Lawrence over a 33-year career.

 

Finalists in the Personnel Engagé category await the announcement of the award winner.

 

Finalists from around the province pose for a photo following the event.