What does remembrance mean to you?
That is the question the Meaford Royal Canadian Legion Branch 32 is asking students throughout the community as it launches its annual Remembrance Day poster and literary contests, along with a video contest that offers young people a new way to express their thoughts and creativity.
The three contests challenge students to create original works of art, writing, or video that honour Canadians who have served our country, remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and explore what remembrance means to today’s generation.
The poster contest is perhaps the best-known of the three. Students can create a poster in colour or black and white, with the option of entering both categories. Through their artwork, they are encouraged to express their understanding of Remembrance Day and the sacrifices made to protect the freedoms Canadians enjoy today.
The literary contest offers another avenue for creative expression. Students may submit an original essay or poem, or enter both. Essays must meet the word limits established for their division, while poems must follow the prescribed line limits.
Both the poster and literary contests have four divisions: Primary, Junior, Intermediate and Senior. Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place at the branch level, with successful entries advancing through regional, provincial, and national judging. Provincial and national competitions offer further recognition and substantial prizes.
The opportunities extend well beyond the local level. Selected winning entries receive national recognition, and poster works are displayed at the Canadian War Museum during the designated exhibition period. Senior students who achieve top honours nationally may also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Ottawa to represent Canada’s youth at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony.
New this year, the video contest invites students to step behind the camera and become directors of their own creative projects. It gives young people an opportunity to explore remembrance through the powerful medium of film, animation, and performance.
The possibilities are wide-ranging. Students might interview a veteran, produce a short film or documentary, create an animation, stage a historical re-enactment, develop a public service announcement, or present a speech or performance. The emphasis is on originality and on communicating what remembrance means to them.
The video contest is open to two divisions: Intermediate, for students in Grades 7 to 9, and Senior, for students in Grades 10 to 12. Entries are submitted through YouTube and judged directly at the Legion’s national level.
Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place. As with the other contests, senior students who achieve the top national honours have the opportunity to travel to Ottawa, with expenses paid, to represent Canada’s youth at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony.
All three contests are open to students in the Meaford area, including those who are home-schooled. The deadline for submissions is November 24.
Students, parents and teachers who would like more information can contact the Meaford Legion at meafordlegionpostercontest@gmail.com.
This year is especially meaningful for Meaford Legion Branch 32, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. A century of service, sacrifice, and community is a milestone worth celebrating, and these annual contests are an important part of the Branch’s efforts to keep the memory of Canada’s veterans alive among younger generations.
The contests also provide an opportunity for veterans and young people to connect, ensuring that the stories of those who served are not forgotten as time passes.
The Legion’s annual Poppy Campaign will soon be underway, culminating in the Remembrance Day memorial service at Meaford’s cenotaph on November 11. The community is encouraged to wear a poppy and take a moment to remember those who served and sacrificed for Canada.
The next regular meeting of Meaford Legion Branch 32 will be held on November 11 at 7 p.m. in the Terrace Room at Meaford Hall.
“Through these contests and its continuing community activities, the Meaford Legion hopes to ensure that remembrance remains more than a tradition. It is a promise to remember the past, recognize the sacrifices made for our freedom, and pass that understanding on to the next generation,” said the Meaford Legion.
