Several local students were awarded for their Remembrance Day art at the Strathmore Legion over the weekend.
Students across Strathmore were asked to create essays, art, and poems based around Remembrance Day in an annual contest, leading up to a presentation on Saturday (Jan. 25).
The event began with a speech from Legion president Donovan Arnaud.
"Our young people came together, and they put their hearts and minds behind developing and expressing their appreciation for the service these people have done for our country. We're very grateful for that," said Arnaud.
Ana Haines, poppy chair with the Strathmore Legion and organizer of the program, announced the winners.
"We're going to be honouring students who have done really well and have earned monetary prizes and gone up to our provincial contest," said Haines. "If they win there, they have the potential to go up to our nationals contest, where they may have their piece at Parliament Hill during the Day of Remembrance in 2025."
There were 25 winners in Strathmore, with many of them making their way to provincials. Several winners were from Sarah Thompson School in Langdon, with this being the first year that the school had taken part.
One of those winners was Charleigh Burns, a Grade 11 student from Holy Cross Collegiate. She took home first place in Senior Essay and Senior Colourful Poster.
"In Grade 9 we had a writing assignment, we could do a poem or essay and choose to submit it here, and when I did that, I realized that I really enjoyed writing about Remembrance, so I continued to do it," said Burns.
This wasn't the first time that Burns had attended the event. In 2024 one of her works had made it to the provincial contest.
"I chose to do the poster for fun because I had never really done that before, and I enjoy colouring sometimes. It's calming. For the essay, I love writing essays and that's my comfort zone. I think I'm pretty good at writing essays."
Burns says that her favourite part of the ceremony is the love from the community.
"I really appreciate the whole aspect of Remembrance and just creating things to represent it. I just love seeing how different people choose what they like to write about."
The winners of the 2024 Remembrance Day art contest are:
Literary Poems (Junior)
1. Kate Thurston, Westmount Elementary
2. Amy Lausen, Westmount Elementary
3. Ivy Edwards, Westmount Elementary
Literary Poems (Intermediate)
1. Mackenzie Carrier, Holy Cross Collegiate
2. Naomi Hofer, Wintering Hills Colony
3. Aidan MacAulay, Holy Cross Collegiate
Literary Essay (Junior)
1. Alivia Wood, Westmount Elementary
2. Easton Soch, Westmount Elementary
Literary Essay (Intermediate)
1. Weston Kautz, Holy Cross Collegiate
2. Mackenzie Marshman, Holy Cross Collegiate
3. Matilda Mariboa, Holy Cross Collegiate
Literary Essay (Senior)
1. Charleigh Burns, Holy Cross Collegiate
Colour Posters (Junior)
1. Leanne Walter, Wintering Hills Colony
2. Meghan Hofer, Wintering Hills Colony
3. Mackenna Lamers, Sarah Thompson School
Colour Posters (Intermediate)
1. Rebecca Walter, Wintering Hills Colony
2. Drison Salituri, Crowther Memorial Junior High
3. Mila Grace Hofer, Wintering Hills Colony
Colour Posters (Senior)
1. Charleigh Burns, Holy Cross Collegiate
Black and White Posters (Junior)
1. Gracelyn Lashbrook, Sarah Thompson School
2. Amreen Kaur Mann, Sarah Thompson School
3. Blake Aube, Sarah Thompson School
Black and White Posters (Intermediate)
1. Levi Walter, Wintering Hills Colony
2. Naomi Hofer, Wintering Hills Colony
3. Isabel Walter, Wintering Hills Colony
You can see a gallery from the event below: