Jessica Langlais
Collège Saint-Alphonse

Jessica Langlais learned the meaning of the words sharing and solidarity at a very early age. With role models like her parents, who took in foster children, it didn’t take long for her to acquire a taste for helping others. Today she is in Secondary 5 at Collège Saint-Alphonse (CSA) and it’s now her turn to get involved. She gives of her time without counting the hours to such organizations as the Pairs Aidants committee, the Sainte-Anne hospital, the Relais pour la vie, the François-Plourde foundation, her high school parliament and the individualized tutoring project that she set up herself.

When chatting with Jessica Langlais, you soon become aware of the young woman’s inner fervour. And the minute there’s talk of participating in or developing a rallying project based on such values as mutual aid, respect and cooperation, her face lights up, her eyes shine and her mind immediately gets to work. This is no doubt why her fellow students and the school staff are forever seeking her collaboration.

“In all of the projects I undertake, I always try to surpass myself, I take a lot of initiative and I strive to ensure that my ideas and projects leave a tangible mark,” she says.

This is definitely what Jessica wanted to accomplish when she developed the individualized tutoring project as a means of increasing the impact of the Pairs Aidants group, which helps students experiencing problems with their schoolwork. The graduating student at CSA was already a member of the group but wanted to offer certain students additional support on a one-on-one basis. The project even requires that she assist certain teachers in the classroom, working with target students. “It’s something concrete and I get to see the students I help succeed both academically and personally, but more importantly, I see how it boosts their self-esteem.”

Jessica also gives concrete expression to this concern for others with a prevention project at the school advocating pacifism and peer mediation. As her school’s minister of health and solidarity, it is her way of overseeing the well-being of her fellow students while promoting community involvement.

“Because of her age and her outgoing personality, Jessica has more of an impact on some young people than an adult with the best of intentions could ever have. She is aware of this and it is something she wants students to benefit from,” services coordinator Marie-Ève Lachance and principal Marc Charbonneau say in unison.

And the reason Jessica has developed this boundless generosity towards others is because she fully understands how a student can feel when academic success is not forthcoming. “When I arrived at CSA in Secondary 2, I was searching for who I really was and I didn’t know myself very well. And then I discovered that my academic and personal achievements depended entirely on the effort I put in. I therefore applied this rule to all aspects of my life and chose to let others benefit from it,” asserts Jessica, who has maintained an overall grade average of close to 97%.

A humanitarian aid trip to Guatemala just over a year ago also helped change her outlook on life. Her work with young orphans suffering from Aids further strengthened her conviction that human beings are more important than anything else. And this is something she seeks to exemplify through her actions every time she does volunteer work with the elderly at Sainte-Anne hospital or with the people who visit the Auberivière soup kitchen where she also lends a hand.

“I often saw my mother trying to help the young people we fostered by just listening and talking with them. I also quickly learned not to always focus on myself, even though this didn’t always please me. But it’s what made me who I am today and I am proud,” admits Jessica, who one days hopes to become a psycho-educator or resource teacher.

“She shows undeniable leadership at our school. Her name is synonymous with commitment, mutual aid and respect. Jessica will be leaving a precious legacy at the Collège. We are convinced that, with her willpower and determination, she will always be an instigator of happiness,” Mrs. Lachance and Mr. Charbonneau both assert.

Jessica Langlais
Collège Saint-Alphonse