Royal Canadian Legion Remembrance Poster and Literary Contest

     Youth Education

       “We Will Remember Them”

For over 50 years the Royal Canadian Legion has been

supporting the Remembrance Poster

and Literary Contest

Its objective is to help encourage students to get

involved in this contest as a means to promote

remembrance of those who by land, by sea and in the

air laid down their lives for sovereign and country.  This

includes those in the past conflicts as well as those

currently serving.

Posters will be based

upon the subject of

REMEMBRANCE

Students are

challenged to exercise

their initiative and

create a poster, poem,

and/or essay on this

theme.

Branch

Zone

District

Provincial

Dominion

(National Headquarters)

The Poster Contest is divided into 2

Divisions:

Black and White

And

Colour

•

Primary

     Grades Kindergarten to 3

     (Kindergarten judged at

      Branch level only)

•

Junior

     Grades 4-6

•

Intermediate

     Grades 7-9

•

Senior

     Grades 10-12

Note:  If a poster displays any

colour on it then it is entered in the

Colour Division

1.    This contest is open to all students in the Canadian School system.

2.    Entries to be no larger than 22” x 28” (56cm x 71cm). Poster of any

        shape may be received at Branches as long as it fits the 22” x 28”

        dimension when framed.

3.

Contest I

 Entries will be accepted in Black and White on black or white PAPER or

BRISTOL BOARD only; using pencil, charcoal and/or India ink. 

Entries done on

canvas, photopaper or craft material such as foam, textiles or wood are not

acceptable. 

Submissions that appear to be computer generated, rendered by AI or

machine will not be accepted.

4.

Contest II

 Entries will only be accepted in Colour on PAPER or BRISTOL BOARD only.

Photographs and three-dimensional submissions made of tinsel, cotton or wooden

sticks for example, will not be accepted. 

Entries done on canvas, photopaper or

craft material such as foam, textiles or wood are not acceptable

. Submissions that

appear to be computer generated, rendered by AI or machine will not be accepted.

5.     If Canadian symbols are used, such as Canadian and provincial flags,

        coat of arms, and representative flowers, birds or animals, as well

        as all forms of Canadian historical and current military dress, shall

        be pre-eminent.

6.    Entries will be judged on originality, expression of designated subject

       drawing and illustration.

7.    Signatures on Poster/Literary entries are no longer required. However,

       students will attach an official Registration Form showing their legal

       names, address, age, grade, name and address of their school and

       local Legion Branch. The form is available from the local Legion branch

       or online at 

legion.ca/contests

 and attach it to their entry (no staples

       or tape please).

8.    All entries are to be submitted to the local Branch of the Royal

       Canadian Legion.

9.    Posters will be judged first at Branch: winners to Zone, to District

       and to Provincial level. Only 

First Place

 winners should be

       forwarded to each level. Provincial winners are submitted to

       Ottawa for judging at National level. Entries should be forwarded

       to the next level 

FLAT.

   Poster Contest Regulations

10.  National 1st place posters will be displayed at the Canadian

       War Museum in Ottawa for one year. 2nd and 3rd place

       national winners will be displayed at Parliament Hill during

       Remembrance week. All artwork will be returned to the

       artists through Provincial Commands.

11.  

A student

 may enter both a Black and White and Colour

       contests, but may submit only one entry for each category.

12.  The Youth Ed Chairs are encouraged 

to code

 all posters in

       pencil on the back of the Entry the Branch #, District &

       Zone, Poster Contest I or II, Category 1/2/3/4, example:

452:

F-5:

P-II:

C-1

.

13. Students who have been out of the educational system for

       more than two consecutive years are ineligible to compete

       in the Poster Contest at any level.

To obtain the most current Entry Form (Registration Form), please go to Ontario Command’s website at

on.legion.ca/remembrance/youth-programs.

The Literary Contest is divided

into 2 Divisions:

Poem

And

Essay

•

Junior

       Grades 4-6

•

Intermediate

       Grades 7-9

•

Senior

       Grades 10-12

Essay

•

Junior

    350

•

Intermediate

    500

•

Senior

    800

Branch

Zone

District

Provincial

Dominion

(National Headquarters)

Literary Contest Rules

1.

This contest is open to all students in the Canadian school

system.

2.

Entries may be submitted in English or French.

3.

Students will use only one side of an 8 ½” x 11” (22cm x 28cm)

page.

4.

Entries will be marked based on originality of thought,

expression, presentation, grammar, spelling and Canadian

content. The copying or reproducing of previously published

works in whole or in part, without either the written permission

from the author/source or, without identifying the

author/source in the work, will result in the work being

automatically disqualified.

Literary Contest Rules

5.  

(a) 

Each student will clearly state on the Registration Form their legal

      name, address, age, grade, name and address of school, and

      local Legion Branch so that it remains with the entry.

(b) 

Youth Ed Chairs are encouraged 

to code

 the back of all

      poems/essays in pencil the Branch #, District & Zone,

      Essay or Poem, Category 2/3/4. Example: 

452:

F-5:

E:

C-2

      or 

452:

F-5:

P:

C-2

. Please see the registration form.

6.    A student may enter both the Essay and Poem contests but may

       submit only one entry for each category.

7.    All entries are to be submitted to their local Branch of the Royal

       Canadian Legion.

8.    Students who have been out of the educational system for more

       than two consecutive years are ineligible to compete in the Literary

       Contest at any level.

Special Points to Remember



Students also include those who are homeschooled.



Students who have been out of the educational system for

more than two consecutive years are ineligible to compete

in the Literary Contest at any level.



Students 

cannot 

enter the same category at two different

Branches/Zones/Districts.  Students who live in one Zone

and attend a school in another Zone may enter at the

branch closest to their school.



All entries are to be submitted to their local branch of the

Royal Canadian Legion.



Same entry can only be entered once (not year after year)



Watch for plagiarism such as the copying or reproducing of

previously published works. Having a look at past winners

on Command’s website is very useful.

And, of course, no job is

complete until the

paperwork is done!

•

Use only 

1 

Entry Form

per entry.

•

All areas of the Entry

Form 

must 

be completed.

•

All signatures must be

filled in.

•

Attach Entry Form to

entry-no tape, no staples,

preferably paperclips.

•

The Entry Form is

available in English &

French on Ontario

Command’s website:

www.on.legion.ca

       under Youth Programs

•

Ensure current Entry

Form is used—do not

disqualify entry if old

form is used—try to

correct the problem

before sending on to

Zone level. New Entry

Forms apply each year.

•

Keep a copy of completed

Entry Form for your

records.

Permission to take a minor’s photo for publication is essential,

especially if you are the one taking the picture.  Other option is to have

the school take the picture and have them put into publication.

This form can

be

photocopied

onto back of

entry form to

help save on

paper.

•

Use this form when sending

your 1

st

 place entries onto

next level.

•

Ensure entries coded in pencil

on back of entry.

•

Send original entry flat in a

safe case to protect it from

damage.

•

You may wish to take a photo

of your 1

st

 place entries.  This

is part of your tracking tool.

•

Keep a copy of this form for

your records.

To help keep track of

entries if they become

separated from

entry/permission form.

Information: Branch #638,

District G/Zone 6, Colour

Poster, Intermediate

This would be

coded as:

638; G6; P-II; C-3

Information:

Branch #34,

District E/Zone 5

Poem,

Intermediate

This would be

coded as:

34; E5; P; C-3

Statistics Form

•

This form is used to help

calculate how many students

participate in this contest.

•

Please fill this form out and

send with your forwarding

forms.

•

Forward this form to your

Zone Chairs with the winning

entries in each category by

November 30

th

.

Public Speaking

Another contest the Legion supports is Public Speaking.

Students are encouraged to write their own speech on

any topic they choose. This provides an opportunity for

students to convey their thoughts, ideas or information

in a public forum.

Monies for this program are taken out of Branch funds

such as Lottery or General Account.

Branch

Provincial

Area

District

Zone

Public Speaking Categories and Times

•

Primary

   Grades 1 to 3—3-5 minutes

•

Junior

   Grades 4-6—3-5 minutes

•

Intermediate

   Grades 7-9—3-5 minutes

•

Senior

   Grades 10-12—5-7 minutes

Contestant Registration

Visiting Dignitaries Form

Rules and Regulations for

Public Speaking

(as per Command)

1.

The speaker may select their own topics. All speeches are to be the original work

of the speaker. 

The topics chosen by the individual speakers do not necessarily

reflect the views or opinions of the Royal Canadian Legion.  

The speaker will

credit authors and sources of material, if referring to another person’s work.

Speeches that repeat verbatim another person’s original work will not be

accepted.

2.

Visual aids, props, notes, cue cards, lecterns, etc. may be used to support the

speech, notwithstanding the fact that judges may add or subtract marks

according to the manner in which they are used.

3.

Speakers are not allowed to use “PowerPoint” and “Projector” as a method of

presentation or as a tool during presentation.

4.

The assistance of persons other than the Chair (or an appointed person) is not

permitted at any level of the contest.

5.

A minimum of three competent judges are required, preferably with a teaching

background or similar profession.

6.

English and French speakers will compete within the same contest at all levels.

Bilingual judges must be used when necessary. Speakers must compete in English

or French and must continue to speak in their chosen language throughout all

levels of the competition.

7.

A speaker can only compete at one branch. If the speaker did not win at the

branch, the speaker is 

not

 allowed to compete again at another branch, even

though it is under the same Zone or District.

8.  The speakers must progress through all levels of the competition: Branch, Zone,

      District, Area and Provincial, using the same speech.  The speaker 

must

 compete at

      branch level first, before moving on to Zone or District.  There is no skipping of

      levels.

9.   A penalty of 5% of the total marks received 

from each judge, 

shall be imposed to

      a speech that is either short or in excess of the time limit for that level, before the

      total scores are compiled. This penalty will be imposed by the Timekeeper and

      applied by the Scrutineer. No penalty will be levied for Grades 1-3.

10. A penalty of 5% of the total marks received 

from each judge,

 shall be imposed to

      any contestant who freezes. A contestant who freezes may continue but all

      speaking time used will count. This penalty will be imposed by the Timekeeper

      and applied by the Scrutineer.

11. No person, including press photographers, shall photograph, videotape or use

      any audio devices during the contest.

12. A microphone may only be used by a “Special Need” student. This student will

       require a certificate from a medical practitioner. The Chair must be informed

       of the need before the competition begins.

13. The provincial public speaking contest will be held on the first Saturday in May, of

       any given year.

14. Speakers may not identify themselves, except by first name, during the contest.

15. Speakers who are late for registration without 

“just cause”

 will be disqualified

       from the contest.

16. All wall clocks will be covered or removed during the contest.

17. All cell phones and other electronic devices are to be turned off during the

      competition.  Such devices cannot be used for any reason during the contest.

18. Coaching of any kind from the audience will not be permitted.

19. If you need to leave the room, please do so between speeches or at the break.

Do not 

enter or leave the room during a speech.

20. Any violation of the above rules and regulations will result in a penalty being

      imposed by the Chair and may include disqualification from this or any future

      competition.

21. Judges will break their own ties. Judges will render a decision on all speakers

      without consultation with other judges or any other person

.  

The judges’ 

decision

      is final.

22. Standing Ovations are not allowed at any level of the competition.

23. At each level of the competition the Branch is to read the following disclaimer

      to the audience prior to the commencement of speeches: “Subject matter

      of speeches may not be suitable for all audiences”.

Judges Info Sheet & Scrutineer

Record Sheet

Public Speaking  Provincial

Awards

The winning student and one parent in each division from the four Legion

Areas will be offered an all-expense paid trip to the site of the provincial

finals.

Public Speaking Info for Youth

Ed Chair

Area Contests

The Province is divided into four areas, which rotate yearly:

Districts “A” & “B”

Districts “C”, “D” & “E”

Districts “F” & “G”

District “H” & “K”

District Location of Future Provincial Contests

2024 – District “D”

2025 – District “G”

2026 – District “H”

2027 – District “A”

2028 – District “C”

2029 – District “F”

2030 – District “K”

•

P

A

T

T

E

R

N

=

E

-

B

-

D

-

G

-

H

-

A

-

C

-

F

-

K

Prizes & Judging

Prizes

1.    Branches, Zones, and Districts will provide suitable prizes,

        including runner-up prizes. Monetary prizes at Branches 

should

not be more than

 the zone and district prizes.

2.    Command plaques will be provided for 1

st

 place winners and 2

nd

        place winners at the area contest.

3.    Prizes or awards shall NOT be taken from Poppy funds at any level.

Judging

1.

There will be three to four judges at each level of competition. Judges may

rotate with only three (3) judges judging the speaker in each category.

2.

Judges should come from a diverse cross section of the community. Whenever

there is a French speaker in any grade category, whether at branch, zone or

district, all the judges judging that category should all be bilingual.

3.

Judges may only participate at one level of competition each year.

4.

Judges should be rotated at the end of each division.

5.

Each judge will render a final decision on all speakers without consultation with

other judges or any other person. The judges’ decisions are final, and they may

not discuss marks with anyone upon the completion of the contest.

Prizes and Judging Cont’d

6.  After the judges have totaled their scores for each speaker in a

     division, they will sign the score sheets. 

Judges 

must

 break their own

     ties.

7.  At the conclusion of each division, score sheets will be collected from

     the judges and timekeepers.

8.  The scrutineer will verify each judges’ tabulation and enter this on the

      record sheet.

9.  The scrutineer will make any adjustments to the tabulation in case of

      time penalties.

10. The scrutineer will 

total the score

 of each judge’s results.

11. Home schooled students are allowed to enter the public speaking

       competition and they compete at the branch closest to their homes. If

       the branch is not participating in the public speaking program,

       students are referred to another branch, under the same zone.

12. It is up to the branch to advise the schools on how many students they

       can accommodate at the competition or to limit the number of

       students competing at the branch level.

Timekeepers & Penalty

Timekeepers

The timekeepers will be provided with a stopwatch or equivalent

timing device.

The timekeepers will begin timing when the speaker begins speaking.

A signal will not be given to the speakers if they exceed the time limit.

The timekeepers’ sheets will be collected at the conclusion of each

division.

Penalty

5% of the total mark 

received from each judge

 will be imposed on a

speaker whose speech is not within the stated time limits for each

division. This penalty will be applied by the scrutineers. No penalty for

time will be levied in the Grades 1-3.

A penalty of 5% will be imposed on any speaker who freezes. A

speaker who freezes will be allowed to continue. A “freeze” is a stop or

a pause of more than four seconds. It can also include a loss of

direction in which the speech flow or meaning is interrupted, or a

complete loss of speech occurs where the speaker may have to start

over.

Ensure the Entry

form is filled out

completely and

signed

accordingly.

The Forwarding

form needs to be

sent to your Zone

Chair prior to Zone

Public Speaking.

Your Zone Chair will

give you

instructions as to

how they wish the

form/information

sent.

Keep a copy for

yourself.

The Statistics form

needs to be sent to

your Zone Chair prior

to Zone Public

Speaking.  Your Zone

Chair will give you

instructions as to how

they wish the

form/information

sent.

Keep a copy for

yourself.

And now for our

newest program!

Remembrance Video

Contest

This contest provides

students with an

opportunity to reflect

their thoughts and ideas

on the topic of

Remembrance and use

their technological

knowledge to present a

short video of 30

seconds – 2 minutes on

this topic.

The Video Contest entry

form, rules, and

instructions are on Ontario

Command’s website under

Youth Programs – Branch

Youth Education Kit –

NYRC Booklet Guidelines

As Youth Education Chair

it is your responsibility is to

inform the schools/

students of this program.

•

   Intermediate Level: Grades 7, 8 & 9

•

Senior Level: Grades 10, 11 & 12

All video entries must be submitted online at:

RemembranceContests.ca

To submit finished video, it must be uploaded to

YouTube. Participants are required to provide

the public, sharable link to their finished video

during the online submission process.

Videos made by a group should be uploaded

and credited to a single group member

responsible for submitting. All correspondence

and prizing will be addressed only to the

submitting group member. Additional credits

can be included when completing the

submission form.

Judging is done by a special

committee as designated by Provincial

Representatives

You might be asking yourself—

where do I start?



Some Chair’s introduce themselves to their local schools before the end of June to help

establish a relationship. This is a good time to let them know that Ontario Command’s

website on.legion.ca/remembrance/youth-programs will be updated over the summer

months regarding the Youth Education Contest Programs that the Legion supports. You

will want to visit your school(s) in early September so that the faculty has time to put it

in their schedule. You can get free information publications to give to your school(s)

from 

www.veterans.gc.ca

(usually available in September).



Review your online Youth-Ed Kit forms and guidelines on Ontario Command’s website

(usually updated in early to mid-July). All current registration forms, forwarding forms,

and copies of rules and regulations, etc., can be found on Ontario Command’s website:

(

www.on.legion.ca/remembrance/youth-programs

) or Dominion Command’s website:

(

www.legion.ca/

contests

).



Get an information letter ready with deadline dates for the school to have their entries

ready for pick up by you or your committee member(s) for judging and include your

contact information. Keep in mind when you set your deadline date that Branches’ first

place entries are to be delivered to your Zone Chair by November 30

th 

for Zone judging.

Consider booking a date with your Branch for your judging.



Establish your prize amounts. Branch prize amounts not to exceed Zone amounts.

These funds are funded out of Poppy Monies. There is no need to have a special use

form filled out, but it should be in the Branch General Meeting minutes for future

reference. Ask your Treasurer to help with obtaining the denominations you will need

prior to presentation of prizes and certificates.



Attend the Youth Education Seminar that your Zone Chair hosts annually.



Get any supplies that you require (i.e., certificates from Command) ordered in enough

time for you to have available to fill out for presentation at your schools.



For your poster and literary contest, you will need 3 judges.  These can be

Branch/Auxiliary Members, Veterans, Community representatives—an artistic or literary

background would be beneficial.  Go over the rules with your judges and the judging

guidelines.



After picking up the entries from the school(s) check to make sure that forms are with

entries and are filled out and signed properly.  While you are at the school, remind them

of the Video Contest deadline as well as establish whether they are going to work with

you on a Public Speaking Contest. The school needs time to get that information out to

the students and get the program up and running. Another date to establish with the

school at this time is presentation of the awards (i.e., an assembly or special event at

your Branch).



Make sure your first-place entries moving onto Zone level are coded correctly.



Fill out your statistic and forwarding forms and send them with your first-place entries

to your Zone Chair.



If you have picture permission forms filled out, ask someone to take photos of your

presentation at the school(s). Consider putting them in a local newspaper. This is great

Public Relations!



Set up Public Speaking date with your Branch if you have students participating. This

event can be held sometime in January/February and must be before Zone Public

Speaking. Your Zone Chair will provide you with this information early in the fall so that

you can stay organized.



Some Branches put an article/ad in their local newspaper with contact information in

case there are students who are homeschooled wish to participate or if your school

does not participate. Set a deadline for entry.



Get your judges for Public Speaking. You will need a minimum of 3 judges,

preferably with a teaching background or similar profession. Go over the rules

with your judges and the judging guidelines. Their forms are in your information

package.



Open your Public Speaking event with the Opening Ceremony as you would a

meeting/convention. Try to include the Marching on the Colours.



You will need 1-2 timekeepers, 1-2 scrutineers, and the forms they use are

included in your information package.



Have someone take pictures during the awards portion of your event to submit

to your local newspaper or invite them to join you that day.



Ensure all entry forms are complete and signed. Forward your first-place entries

to your Zone Chair prior to the Zone Public Speaking date. Include your statistics

and forwarding forms as well.



At your Public Speaking event, provide your first-place recipients with a letter

with details about date, registration time, and location of Zone Public Speaking.

This will act as a reminder for them. Also include your contact information and

inform your first-place recipients that should they not be able to attend Zone

Competition to contact you as soon as possible so that you can offer the chance

to your second-place winner.



Repeat these steps through to the District, Area and finally the Provincial level of

the Public Speaking Competition. Provincial Secretary will provide you with

letters & an expense form to hand your four Area Winners to be returned to

Command for fast processing. Encourage Area Winners to submit right away.

Don’t despair—help is there!!

•

Ask a fellow Branch member to help—

maybe the person who held the position

before you can provide some guidance.

•

Read your Officer’s Manual for Youth

Education

•

Follow the Chain of Command--Contact

your next level for advice. (i.e., Branch

contact Zone Youth Education Chair)

Remember:  

We were all in those new-person-to-

the-volunteer-job-shoes once upon a time. Your

first year is a learning opportunity. Your

subsequent years are fine tuning how to make

your contests run as smoothly as you can.

Consider mistakes made one year a chance to

grow and learn from it to improve for next year.

Above all, relax and have fun with this wonderful

opportunity to inspire the youth of today!

“We have supplied our youth

with a past that they can

share and learn about in the

present to help preserve our

future and not be a fading

memory.”

  (B.W.)

“We Will Remember Them”