Ken Jackson of the Castor Legion Branch #119 presented the National First Place Colour Poster award and a school plague to student, Vlada Pashchenko on Fri. May 19. The award includes a $1000 cheque and an expense paid trip to the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa in November and her poster will hang in the Canadian War Museum for one year before being returned to her. She also holds her poster, black/white which placed second at the Provincial level. Lyn Holloway, Castor Legion president presented several awards to students for posters, essays and poems in this year’s Poster and Literary Contest.ECA Review/J.Webster
Vlada Pashchenko wins the National Legion Poster contest for her colour poster. The poster will be displayed at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa for one year before being returned to her. She is also awarded $1000 and is invited to Ottawa, accompanied by a parent, at the expense of the Legion National Foundation to represent Canada’s youth at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 11, 2023.
This award winning poster will hang in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa for one year. ECA Review/Submitted
“I’ve drawn all my life,” said Pashchenko in an interview on Fri. May 19 at the Altario Public School in Altario, Alberta, a small community near the border in east central Alberta where she attended school in 2022 before moving to Provost, Alberta for Grade 11, having moved to Altario from Ukraine.
When asked when her interest is drawing began, Pashchenko explained “all my life but professionally since she was about 10 years old. I’ve had relatives who were artists in Ukraine and have taken lessons at their private art school.
“Home is my inspiration,” she said.
She does professional portraits, landscapes, and prize animals such as steers for people.
When she graduates from high school she expressed interest in architecture which she said is connected to drawing.
Pashchenko had also won second place at the Provincial level for a black and white poster.
The Altario School also receives a plague from Legion National to display.
The school is Kindergarten to Grade 12 with their 2022-23 student population at 54 students.
The Castor Legion Branch #119 funds the awards for Poster and Literary Contests through their Poppy Fund that includes poppy sales, wreath sales and donations.
They host the contests in six schools throughout the region and award about $2,000 in the 14 categories.
Several other awards were presented to students at the Altario School as well as at the other five schools.
Besides the awards, the Castor Legion provides assistance to Veterans and donations to the Our Lady of the Rosary Extendicare, Castor Paintearth Lodge, Consort Acute Care, Consort Long Term Care, Coronation Acute Care and Coronation Long Term Care.
