Remembrance Contest

For many, many years, The Royal Canadian Legion has sponsored the Annual Literary and Poster Contest that is open to all Canadian school children. The youths that participate in the contest assist the Legion in one of our primary goals – fostering the tradition of Remembrance amongst Canadians.

The contest is divided into four categories:

• Primary (Poster Contest only) – grades 1,2 and 3;
• Junior – grades 4, 5 and 6;
• Intermediate – grades 7, 8 and 9; and
• Senior – grades 10, 11, 12.

Initial judging takes place at the community level by volunteers at local Legion branches and the winning entries progress to judging at the Provincial level. The winning entries at this level are forwarded to Ottawa where they are judged and the National winners declared. The names and work of all the National winners are published.

The Poster Contest has two divisions — Colour and Black & White. The winning entries for the four categories (school grades) are displayed at the Canadian War Museum from 1 July to 1 May of the following year. The second place winners and any receiving an Honourable Mention are displayed in the foyer of the House of Commons during the annual Remembrance period in November.

The senior winning entries in the Essay and Poetry contests are also displayed at the Canadian War Museum during the same period.

The Legion also sponsors a trip to Ottawa for the Senior Winners in the four contests (two poster, essay and poetry) to attend the National Remembrance Day Service where they place a wreath on behalf of the youth of Canada. They also have an opportunity to meet and visit with the Governor General.

Students may enter as many contests as they wish to but may submit only one entry for each category.

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