Postage Meter Contest Encourages Students
to Commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

Grade 4 students have an opportunity to help Newfoundland and Labrador “put its stamp” on activities commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, by designing a celebratory postage meter message to acknowledge the 60th anniversary of her reign. The winning image, which will be announced later this spring, will be placed on all outgoing mail for the Provincial Government for the remainder of 2012.

“The Provincial Government is proud to mark this historic occasion with a series of activities this year, and to honour Her Majesty for a lifetime of exemplary public service,” said the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. “This particular activity encourages Grade 4 students to submit a design for a postage meter message which acknowledges this extraordinary milestone. The contest is just one way in which year-long Diamond Jubilee activities are helping our young people learn more about our historic relationship with Great Britain, and the role of the constitutional monarchy in Canada.”

The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education, joined a group of students at Roncalli Elementary in St. John’s this morning (Friday, April 20) to launch the contest.

“Grade 4 students are introduced to the relationship between the British monarchy and Canada as part of the social studies curriculum,” Minister Jackman noted. “They study Canadian symbols, such as Canada’s Coat of Arms, and the history of Britain in Newfoundland and Labrador, and in Canada. This contest is designed to further help our students develop an awareness of this aspect of our history, and our democracy, and to let them be part of the activities marking this significant event in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.”

Contest rules have been provided to schools across the province, through their school districts, and can be viewed at www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/. For more information on Diamond Jubilee activities, visit: www.govhouse.nl.ca/jubilee/. 

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2012 04 20                          11:10 a.m.