Thanks to our contest sponsors:

Portage & Main Press, Artists Emporium, Colours Art & Framing, Don's Photo Shop & McNally Robinson Booksellers

Thanks to our judges:

Art Contest
Janeen Balenovic, Artists Emporium
Ron Shaluk, Don's Photo Shop
Larry Rich, Artist
Doreen Lozinski, Rivers West Board of Directors

Word Contest
Kirsten Phillips, Portage & Main Press
Tory McNally, McNally Robinson Booksellers
Bernard Gagné, Retired teacher and principal

The judges and Rivers West would like to thank all the students who entered the contest. With almost 300 entries the decisions were very difficult - each work of art, poetry or story had something to offer. They were a pleasure to review and all the students are commended on their efforts and thoughtfulness.

Winners - Art Contest:

Category I - K to Grade 2
First Place - "Le Rendez-vous" by Kara Tinkler and Emilie Hoeppner, Ecole Tache, $100 + prizes
Second Place - "Forest on the Edge of the River" by Ellice Kynman, Grosvenor School, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack
Third Place - "Les Autochtones qui voyagent" by Jenelle Talbot and Roxane Desrochers, Ecole Tache, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack

Category II - Grades 3 to 6
First Place - "Spirit of the Red River - Home Coming" by Annika Ponzilius, Happy Thought School, $200 + prizes
Second Place - "Adventures on the Red River" by Jessica Espiritu, Holy Ghost School, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack
Third Place - "Sunset on the River" by Elizabeth Wiens, Ecole St. Adolphe School, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack

Category III - Grades 7 to 9
First Place - "Red River Pride" by Hilary Cohen, Hastings School, $300 + prizes
Second Place - "River's Edge" by Breanne Van Linge, Springfield Collegiate, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack
Third Place - "Red River Trade" by Courtney Derwin, Ecole River Heights School, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack

Category IV - Grades 10 to 12
First Place - "Red River - Where Heritage Flows" by Sonya Lee, Surrey, BC, $400 + prizes
Second Place - Maxwell Harrison, Gordon Bell High School, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack
Third Place - "untitled" by Jordyn Tomasz, Gordon Bell High School, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack

Winners - Word Contest:

Category I - K to Grade 2
First Place - "A River for All Time" by Brent Sinclair, Stony Mountain Elementary School, $100 + prizes

Category II - Grades 3 to 6
First Place - "Ye Olde Red River" by Katrina Walsh, Home School, $200 + prizes
Second Place - "The River Flows" by Alissa Warkentin, Ecole St. Adolphe School, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack
Third Place - "The Red River" by Niamh O'Sullivan, J.B. Mitchell School, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack

Category III - Grades 7 to 9
First Place - "The Red River (Canada's Heritage River)" by Courtney Derwin, Ecole River Heights School, $300 + prizes
Second Place - "Rupertsland" by Emma Dealy, Lockport Junior High, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack

Category IV - Grades 10 to 12
First Place - "Don't Rush Me Along" by Heather Miltenburg, Gordon Bell High School, $400 + prizes
Second Place - "Lifeblood of Our Heartland" by Niclole Askin, St. Johns-Ravenscourt, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack
Third Place - "River of Courage" by Desirae Gebler-Ariss, Gordon Bell High School, $20 Don's Photo gift certificate, prize pack

Schools of first place winners will be awarded a copy of the River of Words K to 12 Educators Guide and a copy of Rivers West's Red River Basin Water Systems: Grade 8 Guide and Habitat Means Home: Grade 4 Guide.

Ecole Tache
Happy Thought School
Hastings School
Stony Mountain Elementary School
Home School
Ecole River Heights School
Gordon Bell High School