Every year, the Royal Canadian Legion in Bradford West Gwillimbury reaches out to local schools and invites students to enter the Remembrance Poetry, Essay and Poster Contests.
Kids from primary to senior grades are asked to express what remembrance means to them, honouring Canada’s veterans in art and prose.
Winners at the local level advance to zone competition, and if they win, can go on to district and even provincial and national levels, winning certificates and cash prizes at each step. National winners' entries are displayed at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
Local winners were honoured in a ceremony at the legion on Sunday.
BWG Mayor Rob Keffer joined the legion’s past president and poppy chair Ruth Brooks to hand out the prizes in front of a room filled with family members.
“My goodness — what a crowd,” said Keffer, adding that it is “great that the legion steps up” to foster remembrance and encourage some of the “really amazing talent in our town.”
The winners:
Primary Colour Poster: 1st – Rachel Robbins, 2nd – Jina Kim, 3rd – Fozan Hamayun, Runner-up – Eva Tran.
Primary Black and White Poster: 1st – Christian Gabrielle, 2nd – Jezelle Melo, 3rd – Alexander Silva, Runner-up – Jayden Zeblocka.
Junior Colour Poster: 1st – Isabella Delgesso, 2nd – Sydney Bell, 3rd – Cutlali Fresenga, Runner-up – Anna Alieksieva.
Junior Black and White: 1st – Danielle Currie, who also placed 3rd at Zone; 2nd – Daryl Medina, 3rd– Luca Venditti, Runner-up – Noah DaSilva.
Intermediate Colour Poster: 1st – Sophia Hache, 2nd - Avodhya Solomon, 3rd – Andreia Silva, Runner-up – Sohan Jerome.
Intermediate Black and White: 1st – Kaitlyn Matchem, 2nd – Nicole Yako, 3rd – Zachary Maan, Runner-up – Rebecca Sparrow.
Junior Essay: 1st Place Mateo Nastromanco, who won 2nd at Zone; 2nd – Quinn Russell, 3rd – Noah DaSilva, Runner-up – Angelo Auciello.
Junior Poetry: 1st – Sofia Marano, 2nd – Kayla Primorac, 3rd – Violet Hamilton, Runner-up – Mateo Nastromanco.
Intermediate Poetry: 1st – Sara Ahmad, who placed 1st at Zone, and 3rd at District; 2nd – Juliette Felhaber, 3rd – Jason Kokol.
