The Everett Haitian Community Center formally announced that 20 students from Everett and other host communities in the surrounding area enrolled in its arts and cultural program – Emerging Bright Stars Academy (EBSA) – will have the honor of participating in the internationally well-acclaimed “Slame Your Accents” contest.

The contest spokesperson – artist, singer, slameur Mathieu Lippé – toured New England from March 12-15 to meet the students taking part in the ‘Slame vos accents’ contest. He, along with representatives of the Quebec Delegation of Boston, and Rémi Guillemette, Communications Advisor at the Center de la Francophonie des Amériques, visited the Everett Haitian Community Center’s enrichment class on March 13.

Mathieu Lippé knows a great success among young people with his “contagious” dynamism; his visit, in the form of a creative workshop, certainly helped stimulate the students’ interest in the language arts.

“Thank you for opening your teaching and learning community in such a gracious and welcoming fashion. It was a wonderful learning experience for our instructors,” said Nicole Mills, Ph.D, Harvard University.

“The work that was shown to us is inspiring and admirable: maximizing the resources, they are able to put the focus on the intellectual and social development for their younger members with their pedagogical program Emerging Bright Stars Academy but, also, they include the rest of the members within broader social programs. All without fees or memberships: just with good ill and community sense. It has been and amazing experience…,” said María Laín-Valenzuela, Rafael del Pino Foundation Research Fellow. “Each year, we look forward to welcoming your students at the BSO. They are an impressive group of kids. We are so lucky to have your kids as part of our evening program – truly we are the lucky ones,” said Erin Asbury, manager of Volunteer Services at Boston Symphony Orchestra.