“It makes you want to write and give something even more”

This year in Rully, in Oise, the famous ELA dictation, in support of children suffering from leukodystrophy, took on a particular dimension with the presence of the singer Grégoire, who lent his voice to read a text on this genetic disease rare.

Thursday October 17, the atmosphere was both studious and full of emotion at the primary school in Rully, a small village in Oise.

For the first time, the students had the chance to receive a personality who read to them the text of the ELA dictation. It is the singer Grégoire who sets the tone. Even the teacher got involved. The meeting with the artist gave the event a special taste.

“Working in a small school has a lot of advantages, but you are also isolatednotes Gaëlle Brémond, the director. We are poorly represented in rural areas, and all of this sheds light on what we do on a daily basis with our students. So for me, it was very important to shed light on what the students of Rully are doing at their level.“.

The ELA dictation is the annual meeting of the European association against leukodystrophies. It is the first phase of the “put on your sneakers and beat the disease” operation organized in schools. Each edition, a renowned author writes a new text dedicated to the fight against disease. That of 2024, was imagined by Jean-Baptiste Andrea, 2023 Goncourt Prize.

“I’m going to discover dictation at the same time as you, announces the singer. It’s called ‘The Two Worlds’.”

After a first reading, Grégoire begins: “For some time now Noa has been having a strange dream…“The story tells that of Noa, a little girl suffering from leukodystrophy. Fortunately, this word is not in the text, but these students know it well: “Leukodystrophy is a disease where the limbs can no longer move“explains Arthur. Victoria, too, felt very marked.”We are not affected by the disease. We support them because the others can’t hold a pen“. “I want us to find medicine to treat them“, adds Martin.

The Rully school has been mobilizing for ELA for ten years. “It started from a student who had the disease, whose name was Timéoremembers Gaëlle Brémond. He had physical difficulties and when I learned of the existence of this dictation and the work of this association with running, it resonated with this student. So, with the entire teaching team, we embarked on this great project and every year, we want to help the children discover that in a very small school, there are differences, there are profiles that ‘they don’t know and we open them to the world“.

This year, the meeting with Grégoire gives the event a special flavor. The children are delighted to learn directly from him, both about solidarity and spelling.

“It makes you want to write and give something even more” Basile smiled. “Yes it’s truecontinues Cécile, it’s even better, but not mega good either“. “It’s good nonetheless“ she adds after reflection.

After the effort, time for correction, a good time to review some grammar rules. A game to which the singer lends himself with kindness: “the mistakes are like winks, they’re little traps, but it’s very fun. What’s great is what the dictation says, observes Grégoire. We are here above all to put the subject on the table and there, she talks about the dream, the race, a sick little girl and she is touching so it is almost the best speech we have every year.”

But the commitment does not stop at dictation. Soon, pens will give way to sneakers for a solidarity race organized by the school. The students, motivated and united, will run to support sick children.

“I think it’s important that we run for themsays Martin. I want us to find medicines to find how to treat them because apparently there aren’t many remedies, that’s why I’m going to participate in the ELA race.”

“We made a donation book. I will try to do as many laps as possible, at least more than ten” assure Arthur.

Each year, the school collects nearly €600, essential donations for sick people. Antoine Prin, delegate of the association, explains: “This is really a big support for ELA because without this support, we would not be able to finance research and help families in the purchase of a wheelchair, sometimes electric, or in home improvements.“. Dictation is therefore not just a class exercise, but a real mobilization to change the lives of those who need it.

Grégoire, for his part, wanted to recall the importance of this collective gesture: “It’s important that artists mobilize because the more we see them, the more we see the sick and the more we hear about the disease and ELA has done an exceptional job on this. We do a dictation, we then do sports, great initiatives like that, it helps things move forward“.

To end this exceptional moment, the singer shared a musical moment with the children. Together, they sang its flagship title, all united for the cause, in a joyful and united atmosphere.