Emma Smith, a Grade 6 student at Dufferin Christian School (DCS), has won first place in the provincial level of the Legion’s Remembrance Day Literary Contest for her heartfelt essay. Her entry will now advance to the national level, where it will be judged alongside submissions from across Canada.
The annual National Youth Remembrance Contests—organized by the Legion National Foundation in partnership with The Royal Canadian Legion—invite Canadian youth to honour veterans through visual art, writing, and video. Students may enter in one of several categories, including colour or black and white poster, poetry, and essay, with competitions held by age group.
Emma, who was 11 at the time of writing, chose to enter the essay category. Her piece imagined a deeply personal moment in which a young girl learns that her older brother has died in the war. Emma used the real name of a Canadian soldier in her story. While the essay itself will not be published at this time, the power of her words clearly resonated with judges at every level.
“Emma was thrilled to win this award,” said her mother, Christa Smith. “Earlier in the year, she and her brother and sister had already received recognition in the first round of the contest, so to win again at the provincial level was incredibly exciting for her.”
Emma was presented with a certificate and a $50 prize at her school by Karen Maxwell on behalf of the local Legion branch. A photo of the presentation was taken at Dufferin Christian School.
For the Smith family, the contest holds deep personal significance. “As parents, it’s especially meaningful to us because our parents and grandparents were liberated from the Netherlands by Canadian soldiers,” Smith explained. “My grandfather fought in the Dutch resistance against the Germans until the Canadians arrived to free them.”
She added that the contest provides young Canadians with an important opportunity to connect with the past. “Remembering their sacrifice is something we hold close,” said Smith. “Supporting our children in honouring that legacy through writing is a small but powerful way to keep their memory alive.”
National winners receive a cash prize and, for first-place senior winners, the opportunity to travel to Ottawa and represent Canadian youth at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony.
The Legion’s contest aims to foster a strong tradition of remembrance among young Canadians and encourage reflection on the sacrifices made by veterans.
