The best of the best in the Remembrance Poster and Literary contests sponsored by the Sylvan Lake branch of the Royal Canadian Legion were presented with certificates and cheques during a ceremony at the branch last Thursday.
Family and friends attended to watch most of the 22 winners receive their recognition. Several of the winners weren’t present and will be contacted so their prizes can be presented to them later.
The recipients were paraded to the podium by Acting Sergeant-At-Arms Gordon Graham and then received their awards from Poppy Chairman Sharon Graham.
Winners at the Sylvan Lake branch got $50 for first place, $35 for second place and $25 for third place.
Poppy Chairman Sharon Graham said there were 98 entries in the various categories. Entries were accepted in junior, intermediate and senior age groups for poems, essays, and both black and white and colour posters. There was also a category for primary age children to submit colour posters.
Following are the winners in first to third order. In brackets are the schools they are from (CP - C. P. Blakely School; HJ - H. J. Cody High School; SW - École Steffie Woima Elementary School; MT – École Mother Teresa Catholic School; SM - Sylvan Meadows Adventist School)
Poems: Junior - Ashley Mae Ternes (CP), Ardan Kasha (CP), Tatyanna Stoesz (CP). Intermediate - Jonah Zimmer (HJ), Madison Calder (HJ), Kyra Skinner (HJ). Senior - Kirstynn Joseph (HJ), Derek Penman (HJ), Michael Bentley (HJ).
Posters, black and white: Junior - Devin Hobbs (SW), Annika Bender (SW), Avery Burgar (MT). Intermediate - Emma Laqua (HJ), William (Gage) Racette (HJ), Brooke Severtson (SM).
Posters, colour: Primary - Shelby-Lynn Battenfelder (MT), Kathryn Craig (MT), Wylee Gareau (SM). Junior - MacKenzie Siemens (MT), Kelsey Butt (CP), Stevie Beckingham (CP). Intermediate - Brooke Severtson (SM), no second or third place winners. Senior - second, Alexis Koster (HJ). No first or third place winners.
There were no entries in the essay category this year.
The entries of first and second place winners have been forwarded to the district level for judging. Then winners from that level go on to the provincial level and then the federal level.