Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
February 16, 2015

Celebrating Heritage Strengthens Communities

Artistic Creativity Flourishes as Students Celebrate National Heritage Day

February 16 is National Heritage Day - a day to recognize and celebrate Canada�s collective heritage. In honour of this special occasion, Kevin Parsons, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, presented at the 2015 Heritage Day Poster Contest Awards, held at the Fluvarium in St. John�s. The Heritage Day Poster Contest is an annual event hosted by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL).

�Sharing our vast heritage with the province�s youth is a vital part of ensuring that they are able to carry that legacy forward for future generations. For the past ten years, school children and youth throughout Newfoundland and Labrador have had the opportunity to highlight the province�s historic and traditional treasures through the annual Poster Contest. Congratulations to all the 2015 participants and winners, their creative and imaginative interpretation of our province�s heritage is most impressive.�
- The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

Kevin Parsons joined representatives from the education and heritage communities and municipal and provincial governments, as well as members of HFNL, as the winners of this year�s provincial Heritage Places Poster Contest were announced. Over 1000 students from 50 schools across the province produced submissions for the contest. This contest was open to all schools in the province, and was organized through HFNL. The winning submission is featured on the Foundation's poster promoting Heritage Day in Newfoundland and Labrador. This year�s overall winning submission, completed by Mackenzie Boyde, a grade 11 student at Marystown Central High School, was a poster representing the Basilica in St. John�s. The complete list of winners can be found in the backgrounder below.

�The Foundation was very impressed with both the quality and number of submissions that we received this year. 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of the Foundation's poster contest and this year over 1000 students from 50 schools submitted artwork for consideration. Mackenzie�s winning submission is featured on the Foundation�s official Heritage Day 2015 poster. Prizes were also awarded to the four schools that the winning students attend."
- George Chalker, Executive Director of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador

The The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador is a non-profit Crown agency with the mandate to stimulate an understanding of, and an appreciation for, the architectural heritage of the province. For more information about the foundation and winning contest submissions, please visit //www.heritagefoundation.ca .

QUICK FACTS

• In honour of National Heritage Day, Kevin Parsons, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Darin King, presented the 2015 Heritage Day Poster Contest Awards today at the Fluvarium in St. John�s.
• Heritage Day is celebrated on the third Monday of February each year. It is an opportunity to explore the pas to discover the forces and events that have shaped the province�s communities and history.
• Additional information on national Heritage Day activities can be found by visiting www.heritagecanada.org/en/visit-discover/heritage-day .
• The Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development provides funding to the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, including funding for operational support, the Registered Heritage Structure funding program, and the Intangible Cultural Heritage program.

- 30 -

Media contact:

Tansy Mundon Director of Communications Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development 709-729-4570, 693-1865 tansymundon@gov.nl.ca

George Chalker Executive Director Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador 709-739-1892, Ext. 1

BACKGROUNDER
Winners of the 2015 Heritage Day Poster Contest

Mackenzie Boyde, a grade 11 student at Marystown Central High School, submitted the overall winning submission � a depiction of the Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Registered Heritage Structure and National Historic Site in St. John�s.

The winning submissions at the other grade levels were:

• Primary � Jakson Ganz, Grade 3, Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Corner Brook, for his depiction of Bacalhao Island Light tower, a recognized federal heritage building,
• Elementary � Emma Tetford, Grade 6, Amalgamated Academy, Bay Roberts, for her depiction of Western Union Cable Building, a registered heritage structure in Bay Roberts and,
• Junior High � Nathan Corrigan, Grade 8, Stella Maris Academy, Trepassey, for his depiction of Cape Spear Light tower, a recognized federal heritage building.

Heritage Day was established in 1973 by the Heritage Canada Foundation, and is celebrated the third Monday of February to encourage the preservation and promotion of Canada's nationally significant historic, architectural, natural and scenic heritage.

2015 02 16                              12:10 p.m.