COURTNEY McCLURE, The Standard
UXBRIDGE: Every year, the Canadian Royal Legion hosts a contest focusing on literacy and art.
Local Uxbridge High School senior Norah Adams' piece, titled Healing, placed second at the contest's national level.
Her piece features an underage man, who lies about his age so he can enter the war and fight for his country. Later, the soldier comes home, and after enduring many hardships, he begins healing with the help of his family.
Prior to writing her piece, Norah said, she had watched a few videos on YouTube about veterans, who had lied about their age so they could fight.
"They didn't understand how real and violent the war was, but they decided to sign up anyway," she explained, adding the "naivety" of the soldiers drew her to this particular idea for her piece.
This is not the first time Norah has entered the Legion Literacy and Poster Contest. When she was in Grade 4, her entire class entered the contest. She continued to enter written pieces in the contest, until she was in Grade 8.
Norah refrained from entering, when she started high school, because of COVID-19, so this is her first entry after a few years of hiatus.
"I love to read," explained Norah. "And I love to take the things I read, and take elements from that, and put that into stories." Entering the contest has been a great way for her to keep practising.
Currently, Norah is taking a Writer's Craft course in school. She mostly enjoys writing fictional short stories. Additionally, she finds short stories accessible and thinks they are a great way to tell a story. However, she would love to write and potentially publish a full-length novel someday.
This experience has taught Norah to come out of her comfort zone and challenge herself.
"It's a great way to learn about veterans and the war," she said. Entering the Legion Literacy and Poster Contest was a great learning experience for Norah, and she said, other young people should consider entering.
"Upon reading Norah's entry in the Senior Essay Contest, our panel of judges felt quite confident Norah's submission would advance through the various levels of judging," said the program administrator at the Uxbridge Legion, Tish MacDonald.
Ms. MacDonald also said, the staff at the Legion were delighted to hear, Norah had placed first at the Branch, Zone, District and Provincial Level of the contest, as well as, second at the National Level.
"When students participate in the Legion Literary and Poster Contest, it provides them the opportunity to reflect on what remembrance means to them," explained Ms. MacDonald. Further, they attempt to capture their thoughts in art, through essays, poems or posters."
The Uxbridge Legion wanted the students recognized for participating in the "action of remembrance," so, that's why they hosted the Awards Service.
The Canadian Royal Legion has been promoting remembrance and supporting youth education for over 50 years. They have partnered with many schools across Canada and the Legion National Foundation.
For more information about the Legion Literacy and Poster Contest, please visit legion.ca.