Pubdate: Tue, 29 May 2007 Source: North Shore News (CN BC) Copyright: 2007 North Shore News Contact: http://www.nsnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/311 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) FIRST NATIONS POSTER CONTEST WINNERS NOTED The winners of a youth poster contest intended to discourage the use of crystal methamphetamine have been announced. Representatives of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation announced the winners in a written statement May 7. Posters were required to contain original traditional or contemporary aboriginal content in any medium and contain an anti-meth phrase. Aboriginal youth attending schools in North Vancouver were invited to participate in the contest. All three winners attend Windsor secondary. The first place entry was described by contest organizers in the statement as a "chilling picture of a young person sitting on the street smoking meth, with a rap written down the right side column, ending with the lines, 'Hoping and praying for death, with my last breath, I have to ask: Life or meth?'" Winners were chosen by a panel of three judges: Joe George, Tsleil-Waututh Nation elder; Jaimie Ireland, teacher and First Nations co-ordinator at Seycove secondary; and Sgt. Sheryl Armstrong, North Vancouver RCMP. Prizes for first, second and third place were two Canucks tickets, an MP3 player and a $50 gift certificate to Park Royal respectively. The winning entries have been made into professional posters and will be distributed to schools and organizations throughout the Lower Mainland. Organizations interested in obtaining winning posters can contact Andrew Van Eden. The project was hosted by the Tsleil-Waututh Nation with financial support from the Union of B.C. Municipalities and Service Corporation International. Support was provided by the North Vancouver RCMP and the North Vancouver school district. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek