Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 13/02) - Jennifer Coleman, 18, a student at Diamond Jenness secondary school in Hay River, has been chosen as the NWT finalist in the Canada Day Poster Challenge 2002.

Hay River's Jennifer Coleman displays her winning entry in the NWT's Canada Day Poster Challenge 2002. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

The runners-up in the contest also came from the Hay River school -- Meghan Delorey, 16, in second place, and Daniel Harrington, 17, in third.

The theme for the contest was "A Celebration of Canadian Firsts." Students were invited to draw a poster representing personal exploits, remarkable achievements or Canadian contributions to the world. Sixty-one students from the NWT participated.

One design will be chosen from among the provincial and territorial finalists as the official Canada Day poster and will be distributed across the country. The name of the national winner will be announced in June.

All finalists and their guardians will be guests of Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps in Ottawa on July 1 to take part in Canada Day festivities.

"The Canada Day Poster Challenge gives young people an opportunity to discover Canada's history and learn about the adventures of Canadians whose outstanding achievements have helped build Canada," Copps said in a news release.