Contest celebrates community builders on P.E.I.

Time is running out for young Islanders between the ages of 11 and 15 or in Grades 6 to 8 to take part in a special contest that celebrates Canada.

Parks Canada and the Confederation Centre of the Arts are sponsoring the My Community, My Canada contest as part of Canada 150.

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Youth are being asked to choose a person in their community to interview and to create a project to show how that person contributes to the make-up and vision of the country.

"We've already heard from some youth, and some are interviewing a grandparent or an elderly person in the community who are interested in sharing their thoughts," said Bob Harding, the public outreach education officer with Parks Canada on P.E.I.

"Others are choosing someone else who may be more of a public figure. Others are choosing to interview an important person in their life that may not be that old but they feel have made a contribution to building their community."

Groups as well as individuals are being encouraged to enter, and there's a separate "class or group" category.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three individuals and groups.

"Some will do a poster likely, some will likely do something as far as audio-video clips, some will do a diarama," said Harding.

Exciting prizes

He saidthey have some exciting prizes, including the top award for the group category.

"They will receive a special drawing class with Island artist Maurice Bernard," Harding said. "Anyone who knows Maurice, he's a great artist and a lot of fun. And they'll also win a trip to The Story of Confederation at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. The top individual will receive a weekend of camping at P.E.I. National Park and two tickets to see Anne of Green Gables The Musical."

Second and third places win prize packages from Parks Canada, and an anniversary coffee table book done for the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Deadline for contest entries is April 28, and you can find the details on the Parks Canada website.

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