Students from schools across Okotoks have been recognized for their work of remembrance.
The Okotoks Legion Branch #291 held its second annual literary and poster contest awards ceremony on May 10. Awards were handed out for best poetry and essays, as well as colour and black and white posters.
“All the schools participated this year,” said Marcelle Tremblay, Okotoks Legion third vice-president. “Last year we were at 290 students and this year we had 455, so it was a huge increase.”
Of the 455 participants in the annual Legion contest, more than 45 Okotoks students were recognized for their works. Pieces are submitted to the local Legion before being sent on to the area competition, which includes Okotoks, High River, Turner Valley, Canmore and five Calgary branches.
From there, first and second-place winners are forwarded on to the District level, which is made up of 18 branches, and the winners at District move on to Command, which is the provincial level (Alberta and the Northwest Territories). Winners at Command move on to the national competition.
St. John Paul II Collegiate Grade 9 student Kuhlein Migue took second place at the Command level for her black and white poster.
“I was surprised, but it’s nice to get an award,” said Migue.
Her piece showed a young woman spray painting a soldier’s face on a brick wall, with a background of poppies in remembrance of fallen soldiers.
“It’s about remembering, a youth remembering the past and the war,” said Migue. “She’s spray painting, using art to remember the veterans who sacrificed a lot for the war.”
Another St. JPII student – Scott Banister – was shocked to hear his name announced in first place in the Area for his colour poster, which showed a soldier’s silhouette kneeling in respect for the fallen, with red ink worked into the background to symbolize the spilled blood.
The inspiration and talent came naturally for the Grade 8 artist, whose mom has an art studio in the basement of their home.
“It took me quite a while to kind of think of what I might put in a poster,” said Banister. “I just kind of came up with this. It’s showing how the soldiers laid down their lives for us, and it’s pretty awesome to think about.”
The evening wasn’t just about the posters and literary submissions. Four students – two from Foothills Composite High School and two from Holy Trinity Academy – were given $1,000 scholarships.
Legion bursaries can be given to graduates who are currently enrolled in post-secondary school and can provide proof of completing one semester. They must also have a family member associated with the military.
Foothills Comp grad Rachel Mathieson, who is taking kinesiology at the U of C with an eye on sports psychology, was the recipient of one bursary. She learned about the opportunity from previous winners and her grandfather, who was in the navy in his youth.
“The Legion has done a lot for my grandpa, so I thought I would apply for it,” said Mathieson. “It really does help, because I have to pay for all my school.”
Tremblay said she was impressed by the turnout at the awards ceremony, where more than 150 people came out to see the presentations. The level of participation in this year’s contest was heartwarming, she said.
She said much of the awareness comes from the schools educating their students about the fact there are veterans in town, creating an interest in the First and Second World Wars, and teaching about veterans returning from Afghanistan and other more recent deployments.
“The kids are so aware of that, it just puts a smile on your face,” said Tremblay. “They want to know more stories, so I think that’s amazing.”
Having the contest packages delivered to the schools around Remembrance Day helps it hit home for the students and brings more meaning to Nov. 11 for them, she said. It also gives them a way to participate in remembrance activities, she said.
“The kids are very keen,” said Tremblay. “Even when we have the poppy fund, you’re standing at Costco or Walmart, and the kids come up to you and they’re so aware. The awareness is there anywhere from elementary school to high school now.”
Award Winners:
Essay:
Junior Level: 1st Local – Suin Lee, St. Mary’s School; 2nd Local – Jessica Smethurst, Big Rock School.
Intermediate Level: 1st Local – Dominic Fincarryk, St. JPII; 2nd Local – Drew Lucha, St. JPII; Honourary Mention – Alexander Kusche, St. JPII; Robert Watts, St. JPII; Aryssa Swain, St. JPII.
Poem:
Junior Level: 1st Local – Luke Povhe, Ecole Good Shepherd School; 2nd Local – Sadie Bull, Ecole Good Shepherd School; Honourary Mention – Megan Smith, Big Rock School; Owen Plumb, Ecole Beausoleil; Justin Doley, St. Mary’s School.
Intermediate Level: 1st Local – Emma Schneider, Okotoks Junior High; 2nd Local – Jaxon Bekkering, Okotoks Junior High.
Senior Level: 1st Local – Megan Greenwood, Holy Trinity Academy; 2nd Local – Arya Subramanian, Foothills Composite High School.
Black and White Poster:
Junior Level: 1st Local – Sari Potter, Good Shepherd School; 2nd Local – Eyan Delisle, Good Shepherd School; Honourary Mention – Ayla Milan, Dr. Morris Gibson; Noah Fuhr, Good Shepherd School.
Intermediate Level: 1st Local – Kuhlein Migue, St. JPII; 2nd Local – Ethan Ballance, St. JPII; Honourary Mention – Raechelle Patricio, St. JPII; Jakob Pickell, St. JPII.
Senior Level: 1st Local – Megan Greenwood, Holy Trinity Academy; 2nd Local – Julie Hayward, Foothills Composite High School.
Colour Poster:
Primary Level: 1st Local – Casey Colfer, Big Rock School; 2nd Local – Emma Boynton, St. Mary’s School; Honourary Mention – Noah Dacosta, St. Mary’s School; Kaidyn Thomas, St. Mary’s School; Everett Sprinkhuysen, St. Mary’s School.
Junior Level: 1st Local – Marissa Groehring, Good Shepherd School; 2nd Local – Diana Popova, Good Shepherd School; Honourary Mention – Isabelle Pawlick, St. Mary’s School.
Intermediate Level: 1st Local – Scott Banister, St. JPII; 2nd Local – Jaida DeNobrega-Kroeker, St. JPII; Honourary Mention – Eryn Tompkins, Westmount School; Megan Torres, St. JPII; Jacob Chahada, St. JPII.
Senior Level: 1st Local – Tripp Smith, Foothills Composite High School; 2nd Local – Anastasiya Gzyschenko, Foothills Composite High School; Honourary Mention – Lucy Watt, Foothills Composite High School; Morgan Wheeler, Foothills Composite High School; Morgan Grover, Foothills Composite High School.
District Level Winners:
2nd Place Essay, Intermediate Level – Dominic Fincarryk, St. JPII
1st Place Essay, Junior Level – Suin Lee, St. Mary’s School
1st Place Poem, Intermediate Level – Emma Schneider, Okotoks Junior High
1st Place Black and White Poster, Intermediate Level – Kuhlein Migue, St. JPII
Command Level Winner:
2nd Place Black and White Poster, Intermediate Level – Kuhlein Migue, St. JPII
Bursary:
Holy Trinity Academy: Sasha Rhea Lewis, Grace Tieman
Foothills Composite High School: Rachel Mathieson, Molly Compton
