When their physical education and sports teacher talks to them about the Olympic and Paralympic Games, many of them frown. For the approximately fifty students of the sports association of the Jules-Michelet college in Saint-Ouen (Seine-Saint-Denis), the Games are still far away… But, after a few discussions, things are becoming clearer. “Ah yes, the Olympics! It’s a competition in several sports, with several athletes from around the world who are there to represent their countries,” assures Rizlaine, 13 years old.

“In reality, I didn’t know about the Olympic Games at all, but I started to become interested in them when I knew that it was going to take place near us,” adds this swimming enthusiast. I would love to see swimming and basketball. I didn’t even know there was basketball at the Games! »

Judo, football, basketball, swimming, climbing: there are numerous competitions in these sports that these children who practice climbing, basketball or table tennis at their school would like to attend every Wednesday afternoon. “I would love to see judo, it’s my favorite sport,” says Shera, 11, who has been taking lessons in this martial art since October.

Wheelchair basketball, “it’s even better”

Ghiles instead answers Paralympic Games. This sixth grade student has attended several disabled sports competitions in recent years as part of Generation 2024, a label which allows school students to attend events as part of preparation for the Games. Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“In fifth grade, we went away for a whole day to see a Paralympic sports competition,” he says. What I liked best was the high jump: athletes who have prosthetics look like they have a superpower to bounce! » Already, when he was in CM1, Ghiles had participated in an introduction to wheelchair basketball. “It was even better than ‘normal’ basketball,” he exclaims.

Ghiles is lucky: like his old school, the Jules-Michelet college is labeled Generation 2024. He was therefore able to attend matches of the International Wheelchair Rugby Cup in October at the Carpentier hall in Paris. . The label was created in 2017 by the Ministry of National Education with the aim of promoting sport and disabled sports in the run-up to the Paris Games, which will take place from July 26 to August 11 and then from August 28 to September 8 for the Paralympic Games.

This label was awarded to 10,198 educational or higher education establishments in France, including 309 in Seine-Saint-Denis. To obtain it, schools must build projects with sports clubs in their area. To apply, in 2021, the Jules-Michelet college highlighted its collaboration with the Red Star football club and the kayaking courses that the establishment organizes each year.

“Expanding children’s sports culture”

“It took a long time to get started. Concretely, we expected more at the start,” notes Jonathan Boehler, the college’s physical and sports education (PSE) coordinator. In fact, we had to wait until 2023 to really see the range of events to which classes were invited take off. Since the start of the school year, students from Michelet College have been able to attend two competitions, one in disabled volleyball and the International Wheelchair Rugby Cup.

The desire to focus on disabled sports comes from the teaching team. “At college, we are really interested in the Paralympism axis,” insists Jonathan Boehler. The previous school year, the college hosted three educational workshops – including one on wheelchair basketball – led by an association with the aim of raising awareness among students and “de-dramatizing” their vision of disabled sports. The intervention concluded with a debate during which the students were invited to freely ask all their questions about disabled sports.

“This helps broaden children’s sporting culture,” explains Eliott Dréano, PE teacher at Jules-Michelet college. Two years ago, the establishment also welcomed a disabled athlete. The Generation 2024 label can indeed encourage the arrival of high-level athletes within establishments. The college recently secured sixty-four places to attend the Paralympic Games in September 2024. “It’s great! We don’t realize it yet,” enthuses the teacher.

But, with nearly 400 students in school, the establishment will have to make a selection. The objective will be to reward those who are most invested: “The children of the college sports association will have priority,” explains Jonathan Boehler. They get involved in sport every Wednesday and during competitions. They are the ones who keep sport alive in college. Offering them a place for the Games is a way of rewarding them. »