Canadian War Museum and the Friends of the Canadian War Museum announce winners of 2016 Gunter History Awards
June 22, 2016MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
Ottawa, June 22, 2016 — The Canadian War Museum and the Friends of the Canadian War Museum are pleased to announce they have awarded the prestigious Colonel Douglas H. Gunter History Award to five high school seniors from across Canada for their outstanding works of art and scholarship on the theme of ordinary people in extraordinary times.
“The Gunter Awards encourage Canadian youth to look into our military history and consider its impact on past, current and future generations,” said Linda Colwell, President of the Friends of the Canadian War Museum. “We are very proud to support this War Museum program and, through it, contribute to educating young Canadians about our history.”
“We are pleased to be able to partner with the Friends of the Canadian War Museum to encourage a greater understanding of Canadian military history,” said Stephen Quick, Director General of the Canadian War Museum. “The financial support they provide to students to further their studies is invaluable.”
The Colonel Douglas H. Gunter History Awards are financially supported by the Friends of the Canadian War Museum. The award is named for a former member of the Friends who left a bequest for educational purposes when he passed away in 2005. Colonel Gunter served with the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery for 32 years, including service during the Second World War and the Korean War, and peacekeeping duties in Cyprus.
Judged by a multidisciplinary committee, the annual Colonel Douglas H. Gunter History Awards are open to all graduating high school seniors and carry a $1,000 cash prize for each of the winners. This year’s entries explored how the experience of war has changed someone’s life. The 2016 laureates are:
- Connor B. Hawes of Grand Forks Secondary School in Grand Forks, British Columbia for his essay “Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times”;
- Alexa Ishikawa of Centennial Secondary School in Coquitlam, British Columbia for her video “Paper Cranes”;
- Chantelle Masterson of Fredericton High School in Fredericton, New Brunswick for her artwork entitled “Great Uncle Merle”;
- Eric Shepphard of Etobicoke School of the Arts in Oakville, Ontario for his essay “Every Soldier has a Story”;
- Gaurav Varshneya of Magee Secondary School in Vancouver, British Columbia for his video “Operation: White Dove.”
The winning entries will be posted at: warmuseum.ca/education/programs/the-colonel-douglas-h-gunter-award.
The call for submissions for the 2017 Colonel Douglas H. Gunter History Awards will begin in September 2016. The criteria and categories for the 2017 awards will be posted online at that time.
The Canadian War Museum
The Canadian War Museum is Canada’s national museum of military history. Its mission is to promote public understanding of Canada’s military history in its personal, national and international dimensions.
The Friends of the Canadian War Museum
The Friends of the Canadian War Museum is a charitable organization that contributes volunteer expertise, knowledge and financial assistance to promote and support the Museum, its programs and its activities. Find out more at www.friends-amis.org.
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Media contacts:
Bob Argent
Friends of the Canadian War Museum
Telephone: 819-776-8618
Email: reargent82@gmail.com
Website: www.friends-amis.org
Avra Gibbs Lamey
Senior Communications and Media Relations Officer, Canadian War Museum
Canadian War Museum
Telephone: 819-776-8607
Email: avra.gibbs-lamey@warmuseum.ca