A Richmond elementary student has won a Canada-wide poster contest connected to Remembrance Day.
Yelena Domingo – a Grade 7 student at Westwind in Steveston – won the junior category of the Royal Canadian Legion competition.
For her efforts, Yelena was awarded on Friday two plaques (one for her, one for her school) and two cheques for $250 (one each from the legion’s B.C./Yukon and national commands).
Presenting the plaques and cheques to Yelena were the Richmond legion’s Bill Costain and Scott Stewart, along with the legion’s past zone commander, Ken Harvey.
She received her prizes in front of her Grade 6 and 7 classmates, teachers, her parents, Ben and Yolanda Domingo, and her younger sister, Calysta.
“It took me about two days and maybe a few hours,” Yelena told the Richmond News, shortly after picking up her awards.
“(Art) is a hobby of mine.”
Asked what she plans to do with her $500, Yelena smiled at her parents and said, “I’d like to save half of it and then go on a complete shopping spree…if I’m allowed to.”
Costain told the assembly that the legion’s B.C/Yukon command first picked out its best poster from the province, before sending it to the national command in Ottawa.
“They then looked at all the entries from all the provinces and territories across Canada,” he said.
“And they chose one which they thought was the best. And that’s why we are here today, because the best one in Canada came out of this school.
“It’s an awesome piece of artwork, which really shows talent. But what’s more important for myself and my colleagues here today is that the poster represents the sacrifice made.”
As well as her prizes, Yelena’s poster will be displayed in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa from June to May the following year.
