Maurane Cloutier
École secondaire De Rochebelle

When you attend a school of 2,100 students, it can be hard to get to know everyone and especially to be known by everyone. At De Rochebelle high school however, if you ask a student, regardless of what year they’re in, if they know Maurane Cloutier, they will undoubtedly reply: “but of course I know her, she’s the school vice-president. She’s easy to spot, she’s involved in everything.” And involved is an understatement! You could almost say the term was coined just for her.

“I think I need to discover new things, to take part in projects. It’s not really very complicated, you just have to take the initiative,” says in all modesty and in a bright voice the Secondary 4 student who has succeeded in maintaining an overall grade average of nearly 90% despite all her activities and the fact that she’s enrolled in an international studies program.

As soon as she began high school, Maurane chose not to watch life pass her by but instead to join the parade and even sometimes lead it. She is cheerful and has overflowing enthusiasm and originality, and strives by all available means to transmit the energy that spurs her on to all her fellow students. “My everyday goal is to be able to rally other students so as to make my school more lively, dynamic and socially-committed. In order to do so, I frequently make a point of meeting students in every year, I listen to them, I represent them and I preach by example.”

And there is certainly no lack of examples. As the student representative for the school administration and the governing body, a member of the badminton team, a collaborator for the Gala Méritas for two years for which she helps to write the texts and produce the event, a musician in the wind section, and a volunteer for the Terry Fox Foundation, Leucan and Baluchon Alzheimer, Maurane always ends up by finding a project that grabs her attention. And if the project doesn’t exist, she creates it.

“Last year, there was a music group of flute players but this year it was dropped. I thought this was a real shame so I got other girls together, I met with the music teachers and asked that the group be formed again. And it worked,” she recounts quite naturally, adding that she also established a reading club for youngsters at the municipal library.

Another of Maurane’s recent initiatives also perfectly reflects just how much her involvement is beneficial to all. While carrying out a school history project, she realised there were certain elements that should be studied in greater depth. A few days later, she had succeeded in convincing the famous historian Jacques Lacoursière to come and give a lecture for all the students in her year. The lecture is scheduled for March.

“Without doubt, Maurane assumes a great deal of leadership. She quickly gets involved in every project, not only by sharing her ideas, but also by contributing physically. She does everything she can to help her projects advance. Her involvement with the Acti Santé committee is a fine example,” points out Denis Drouin, who has been the school’s student services counsellor for 19 years.

As a member of the committee, the finalist in the Committed Student category greatly contributed to the school’s adoption of a new healthy-living policy: a modified menu in the cafeteria, additional lunchtime facilities, and the hosting of all kinds of events such as the healthy breakfast, the 4x4 challenge and the mega workout. And as the environment is also an issue close to her heart, with the help of fellow students she initiated a process for the purchase of reusable dishes in the cafeteria. The project was adopted and financed by the school administration and should be in effect as of next year. “Even though I get involved with conviction, the whole team is behind the success of all these projects,” insists Maurane, who pictures herself pursuing a career in medicine or politics.

“There is no doubt about it, Maurane will leave a very positive mark of the time she spent at our school. She always defends her ideas with a great deal of respect and courtesy. This bears witness to her self-confidence and her desire to move forward. She is in a way a serene force and a force that will go a long way,” points out Denis Drouin with sincerity.

Maurane Cloutier
École secondaire De Rochebelle