2025 VE-Day Diary Entry Writing Contest

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, Valour Canada, in collaboration with Calgary Salutes (City of Calgary), 4 Brigade, and HMCS Tecumseh, is proud to announce a diary entry writing contest open to students from the Calgary Public and Calgary Catholic school boards. This initiative aims to engage students in reflecting on the historical significance of VE Day and its impact on people, Canada, and the world.

Contest Details:

Eligibility: Gr. 7 – 12 students currently within the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) or the Calgary Catholic School District (CSSD).
Diary Entry Guidelines: Students will read Valour Canada’s VE Day article (https://valourcanada.ca/military-history-library/ve-day/), choose one of the individuals shown in one of the twelve article-embedded photos, and then write a diary entry that might have been written by their selected individual. The diary entry should at minimum include a description of the emotions the selected person is feeling (as shown in the photo) and the reason(s) why that person is having those reactions during that snapshot in time.
Word Count Requirements:
- Junior High (Grades 7-9): 300-400 words
- Senior High (Grades 10-12): 450-550 words
Submission Deadline: Friday, April 25, 2025, by 11:59 PM (MST)
Submission Method: Diary entries must be emailed to Valour Canada (contact@valourcanada.ca) in .doc or .pdf format.
Assessment Rubric: A team of volunteers will assess the diary entries USING THIS RUBRIC and select the top 3 for Junior and Senior, and CBE and CCSD categories. One winner from each category (4) will then be selected by Valour Canada board members and/or staff according to the rubric.

Prizes and Recognition:

The winning student from each category will receive recognition for their achievement (including meeting WW2 veterans at City Hall on May 4th, acknowledgement through social media, and an invitation to attend and share their essay at the VE Day Lecture to be held at The Military Museums on May 8th. The four winning diary entries will also be published on the Valour Canada and Calgary Salutes websites.
Each winner’s class will be rewarded with a pizza lunch and refreshments on Thursday, May 8, 2025—the official 80th anniversary of VE Day.
If May 8th is not feasible, the pizza lunch will be arranged for another day.

To read the VE Day article and view the photos, please CLICK HERE. For information about this contest in pdf format, CLICK HERE.

The contest closes on Fri. April 25, 2025.

This contest is an excellent opportunity for students to explore Canada’s role in World War II, develop their writing skills, and gain a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices made by those who served. We encourage students to participate and teachers to support their students in engaging with this meaningful historical event.