The Richard Picotin Award is presented each year at the National Seminar to the student delegate who best embodies the spirit of bilingualism, regardless of their linguistic category. The recipient is chosen by a vote of the student delegates. The award honours Richard Picotin, a lifelong educator and advocate for student leadership and French-language debating. He founded the Association des débats et discours étudiants du Québec in 1998 and served as Directeur des débats français for the Canadian Student Debating Federation, sharing his expertise with schools across the country.