A few senior and junior high Coalhurst High School students won a local level contest with an award ceremony held earlier this month. Each year, the Coalhurst Legion holds an annual National Youth Remembrance poster, poem, video and essay contests.
“There were some very poignant and powerful entries in this year’s competition, which included several schools in the area, including Coalhurst Elementary, Providence, Calvin Christian and Picture Butte,” says CHS.
CHS teacher Michael Saad says the Coalhurst Legion participates in The Royal Canadian Legion contest. “They’ve had it for many years. It’s a Canadian national contest, but the Coalhurst Legion supports the local running of the contest.”
The contests include multiple levels of competition. Poster and literary works compete first at the Legion branch local level, with winning entries moving forward until they reach the provincial level.
Provincial finalists of all contests move forward for final judging by the Legion National Foundation to determine the national winners.
Through the contests, the Legion National Foundation, with the assistance of The Royal Canadian Legion and schools across the country, invite Canadian youth and children to honour Canada’s Veterans and foster the tradition of Remembrance through visual art, writing and video.
“All winners at the national level are awarded a cash prize for their work. First Place Senior Winners are eligible for our most prestigious award – a trip to Ottawa and an opportunity to represent the youth of Canada at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony,” says The Royal Canadian Legion.
