MOUNT FOREST – Fostering remembrance in youth through creativity is the goal for Legions across Canada when they host their annual poster and literary competition for students.
Mount Forest Legion Branch 134 held a well-attended awards night on Dec. 15 to celebrate their contest winners, and had to put out extra chairs when more families than expected arrived.
Youth Education Chair for the local Legion, Derek Moore, was pleased with the turnout considering the weather.
Moore reported that a total of 294 poster, poem and essay entries were received this year from four Mount Forest area schools, including Wellington Heights Secondary School, Victoria Cross Public School, St. Mary’s Catholic School and Egremont Community School, plus there were a few entries from home-schooled students.
Branch and zone winner – Natalia Skorupska receives a cash prize and certificate from Mount Forest Legion Youth Education Chair Derek Moore for winning first place with her black and white poster in the intermediate division of the Legion’s annual art and literary competition. Skorupska’s work was entered into the zone level where it won another first. The poster will next be judged at the district level in January. Photos by Sue Hogenkamp
Out of all entries received, 13 placed first, 12 placed second, and 10 were third. Categories included black and white posters, coloured posters, poems and essays from four age categories, and all winners received a cash prize and a certificate.
The 13 first place winners were automatically entered into the zone C-3 level of the competition, where they competed with the best of 13 Legions.
Two of the Mount Forest winners won in their categories at the zone level and will be moving on to the district C level, where they will be competing with the best from 52 Legion branches. Judging will begin in January.
Following district level, first place winners proceed to provincial level, and then finally to national level where they win a cash prize and the opportunity to attend the National Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.
Moore closed the evening by encouraging those who entered this year to “consider trying again next year. Some of the entries received were absolutely amazing.”