The senior winners of the 2012 Legion Poster and Literary Contests have been declared and this year Sienna Cho, Owen Brown, Amelia Haines and Allison Somers will travel to Ottawa to represent all Canadian youth at the national Remembrance Day ceremony in November.
The annual Legion contest, running for over 50 years now, attracts approximately 100,000 poems, posters and essays from youth across Canada. Submissions are judged at the local, regional, provincial and, finally, national level.
A recurring theme in many of this year’s winning submissions was the ongoing effort made by Canadian youth to connect their own personal experience of life and reality to the experience of life during war. It is an effort to empathize and the artists’ attempt to place themselves inside the experience of those who fight.
“Imagine what it would be like to leave your family, friends and community, knowing that you might never come home again,” writes Haines of Peel, N.B., in her first-place essay submitted by Hartland Branch. “I’m sure many brave soldiers had that very thought as they hugged their family goodbye.”
This effort to connect today’s youth to the reality of the past carried through into the poster submissions as well. Owen Brown of Guelph, Ont., whose poster was submitted by Waterloo Branch, designed his black and white poster to depict a Second World War veteran remembering the war, and it declares, “Real People. Remember.”
“The hardest part for me was trying to figure out what message I was trying to send,” said Brown. “I was thinking about the fact that so many people in my generation go about their day without even thinking about the people who sacrificed. To them it’s very real. The big thing for our generation is to remember that it was very real. It’s real people. The man is one of those real people. He has all those memories every time he sees a monument.”
Brown, whose brother Jonathan Brown won the national award in the same category in 2010, believes it’s crucial that youth don’t detach from history and remembrance. “My generation should remember those real people,” he said. “I see the value in the fact that it’s really important to look back and not make the same mistakes that they made in the past.”
Back And Forth, the senior second-place poem by Skylar Flynn of Beechy, Sask., continues the theme and could very well be an inscription for Brown’s poster.
Back and Forth
Back and Forth
The rocking chair
Sways as the scarred
Veteran tries to live in the
Present and forget the past.
Mara Cox of Kimberley, B.C., won first place in the intermediate division for her poem, The Veteran. Cox also tries to help the reader relate to veterans and their experience.
Friends failing, never to open their eyes again
Many unsuccessful attempts to revive the fallen
I can only imagine the sorrow
Happy to be able to return home, yet never the same
Horrific memories emblazoned in his brain
I can only imagine the agony
As the ceremony ends and I stand
Ready to go home, to hang out with friends
War the last thing on my mind
I realize that this is something
He can only imagine.
For Allison Somers of Carbonear, Nfld., her senior first-place poem gave her a chance to explain to readers the details of her remembrance. “When I was writing it, I was thinking to myself of all the different things I think about when I’m remembering,” she said.
Somers, 15, would like to be a teacher when she grows up, so detailing the who-what-where and why of remembrance was an interesting way to approach the subject. “My cousin served in Afghanistan, so sometimes I think of him a lot,” she said. “Without the veterans we wouldn’t be in the world we’re in now; they’re the reason why we live the lives we do today.”
Soldiers are the reason behind our freedom,
They have sacrificed their lives for us,
To prevail in freedom each and every day,
This is why I remember.
“I think it’s important for us as young people to remember because if we don’t remember, the generations after us won’t remember,” she added. “We have to keep the tradition alive.”
Not every submission, however, concerned the gap between today’s youth and their history. For example, there is Remembrance, the second-place intermediate essay by Christina Mary Hertner of Nilestown, Ont., submitted by Donnybrook Branch in Dorchester. Hertner’s essay is a moving depiction of the meaning of remembrance itself.
“Remembrance is red; red is the freedom found in Canada’s flag. Red is for commemoration as well as the bloodied and grieving. Red is anger and frustration. Red is the wounded, hurt, and the lost. It is red like vast fields of poppies growing free, like our nation.
“Remembrance is black and blue. It is torn and stained. It has been bruised and shot, and has been broken and patched back together. Remembrance has been divided, shared, and negotiated. Remembrance is always healing and is the dawn of a new day. It is our hope and strength.”
For all of the winners at every level, the effort to perpetuate remembrance is the goal, but for the four senior winners, they now have a larger goal—to travel to Ottawa to place a wreath on behalf of all Canadian youth.
For Brown, 16, the highlight of winning the national competition will no doubt be the time spent in Ottawa, following in his brother’s footsteps. “I was able to go along with my brother when he won, to watch him. And it was very cool. And I was thinking, ‘I’m going to do this one year, to represent the youth of Canada.’ I’m looking forward to it—it will be very cool to be in my brother’s place.”
2011 National Results
Senior
![Senior Colour 1st place - Sienna (Jeong Eun) Cho, Surrey, B.C [ ]](https://legionmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Poster-SeniorC_1st.jpg "Senior Colour 1st place - Sienna (Jeong Eun) Cho, Surrey, B.C [ ]")
Colour Poster—First: Sienna (Jeong Eun) Cho, Surrey, B.C.; Second: Matthew Walton, Pasadena, Nfld.; Honourable Mention: Colette Danielle Bachand, Cardiff, Alta.
Black and White Poster—First: Owen Brown, Guelph, Ont.; Second: Katarina Wawrykow, Nanoose Bay, B.C.; Honourable Mention: Amy Mugford, Stephenville, Nfld.
Essay—First: Amelia Haines, Peel, N.B.; Second: Kimberley Anne Farion, Vegreville, Alta.; Honourable Mention: Samantha Hoefsloot, Armstrong, B.C.
Poem—First: Allison Somers, Carbonear, Nfld.; Second: Skylar Flynn, Beechy, Sask.; Honourable Mention: Christopher Melchin, Antigonish, N.S.
Intermediate
Colour Poster—First: Kelaiah Quinn Guiel, Bailieboro, Ont.; Second: Jason (Renjie) Hong, Vancouver; Honourable Mention: Rodnie Valerio, Calgary.
Black and White Poster—First: Joseph McIntyre, Hawkestone, Ont.; Second: Shivani Patel, Unity, Sask.; Honourable Mention: Carolina House, Victoria.
Essay—First: Robert Josiah Deacon, Victoria; Second: Christina Mary Hertner, Nilestown, Ont.; Honourable Mention: Rielle Gagnon, Lloydminster, Alta.
Poem—First: Mara Cox, Kimberley, B.C.; Second: Aveline J. Vandermeulen, Lorette, Man.; Honourable Mention: Olivia Malone, Little Shemogue, N.B.
Junior
Colour Poster—First: Alyssa Zucchi, Montreal; Second: Sanha (Ann) Kim, Richmond Hill, Ont.; Honourable Mention: Jeongmin Kang, Enfield, N.S.
Black and White Poster—First: Brady Donald Tiessen, Abbotsford, B.C.; Second: Holly Denise Gillingham, Western Bay, Nfld.; Honourable Mention: Keegan Carr, Perth, Ont.
Essay—First: Frank Wang, Surrey, B.C.; Second: Patrick Shaw, Abbey, Sask.; Honourable Mention: Daniel Corbo, Etobicoke, Ont.
Poem—First: Kianah R. Howk, Cochrane, Alta..; Second: Naomi Ruth Pratt, Elmvale, Ont.; Honourable Mention: Sophie Marie DeRosa, Trail, B.C.
Primary
Colour Poster—First: Autumn Dowhaluk, Atmore, Alta.; Second: Grace Clayton, Shanty Bay, Ont.; Honourable Mention: Tyler Benjamin Reid, Hampton, N.B.
Black and White Poster—First: Jordan Bartlett, Tavistock, Ont.; Second: Josey Hrappstead, Swan River, Man.; Honourable Mention: Jedrek Slingerland, Coaldale, Alta.
Senior Essay – 1st place
A Proud Canadian Remembers
by Amelia Haines
Sophie tenderly fingered the miniature red and white flag before carefully adding it to her collection which now ran along both sides of her driveway. As she placed the Canadian flag into the soft earth, she sadly remembered her neighbour’s 18-year-old son who had died in combat only three short days ago. Each time a man or boy she knew died, Sophie would add a flag in remembrance of the fallen. This particular flag-adjusting ceremony was difficult because Sophie had been fond of the little boy next door. She thought of the dead soldier as a boy because it was only last year he had learned to drive a car. Weeping tears of sorrow, she wondered how long the world would suffer before peace would prevail and the long-lasting war in Europe would be over.
Like Sophie, thousands of people across Canada have been affected by war. Those who have lost a father, brother, son, cousin, friend or neighbour know first-hand the pain of loss that war brings. It is important on Remembrance Day, and every other day, that we acknowledge and appreciate the pain of those loved ones and the sacrifice of those fallen soldiers.
Thousands of young men and boys have perished in war, each hoping that peace would once again be restored. It saddens me to think about all the young soldiers, some younger than myself, that left this earth and their families behind. Taking a small moment to remember their sacrifice seems the least we can do for them. If they hadn’t given their all, we might not be able to enjoy the kind of life that we have been fortunate enough to have as Canadians.
Imagine what is would be like to leave your family, friends and community, knowing that you might never come home again. I’m sure many brave soldiers had that very thought as they hugged their family goodbye. For some, that departure from the only life they had ever known, was not to be permanent, but for others, it was the last time they got to see their family. Even those who were fortunate enough to be able to return home, had the scars of war imprinted on them for eternity.
Many soldiers felt the pain of losing friends who fought alongside them. For this reason, we take time to remember, not only the fallen, but those who bravely served our country as well.
One way of remembering and learning about past wars is to read letters sent home by soldiers who were serving. Letters played a major role in past wars. Before the days of e-mail and Facebook, a simple, handwritten letter from home meant the world to soldiers. Most eagerly looked forward to news from Canada, as it was a small chance to escape from the horrors of daily life. Letters written back home give us a small glimpse into the life of a soldier—the battles they fought, the places they were stationed, the friends they made, and personal thoughts about how they felt. Letters of war need to be preserved for future generations as they are part of our heritage, and can help future generations of young Canadians understand why it is important to remember.
Another thing you can do to remember those who have fallen in combat is to visit a war memorial site on your own time. One such memorial at which to pay your respects is the Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located in Ottawa, at the National War Memorial site on Confederation Square. This memorial is dedicated to all soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for our country in the past and all who will sacrifice in the future. There are many other memorial sites in Canada, as well as various countries in Europe and around the world. Why not research these sites and visit if you have an opportunity?
The next time the Canadian national anthem plays stand up tall and proud. Take a moment to remember the thousands of lives lost, so that you could have a free country. Without those brave soldiers we wouldn’t have the opportunity of enjoy our lives and the many privileges that go along with freedom. Honour those fearless Canadians who served—visit a memorial site, read a letter, but most of all, remember. My name is Amelia Haines and I’m proud to be a Canadian.
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