Students from across Canada have been participating in the Legion’s Poster and Literary Contest, a National competition sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion.

Last week, first place contenders in the local Branch levels, received the news that they were headed to the next level of judging. Branch President of the Killarney Legion # 25, Craig Taylor, visited various Hutterite colony schools in the Turtle Mountain School District to share who had placed in this first level of the competition.

The entries were judged at the local Legion Branch, first place contenders to be moved on to the Provincial level.  Provincial winners in the Primary, Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories will then be submitted to Ottawa for judging at the National level.  

The winners at this Dominion Command level will be awarded a plaque, as well as have their artwork on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa for one year.  Second and third place National winners will have their pieces displayed on Parliament Hill during Remembrance Week in 2016. Cash awards are also presented to first and second place National winners.

The poster and writing competition promotes Remembrance of our Canadian soldiers and has been sponsored by the Legion since 1960.  Last year, approximately 100,000 students participated in the Legion’s Poster and Literary Contest.  

Craig Taylor says the success of the contest is a direct result of the teachers who teach students about Canada’s history and the Canadian soldiers’ role in world affairs, and promote the competition, encouraging students to submit an entry.

He says the students are very creative, and many of them entered in more than one category.  

All first place winners from the Branch level in the Turtle Mountain School District will go on to District level judging, which is usually held in January or February in Glenboro.   

All first place winners move onto Provincial standings to go on to Dominion in Ottawa. First, second and third place National winners of the competition will be announced at Dominion Command in spring of 2016.