Two Yellowknife elementary school students have been recognized for their art projects exploring the themes of truth and reconciliation.

Imagine a Canada, an initiative of the University of ManitobaSA国际影视传媒檚 National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, asks students of all ages to submit reconciliation-themed art pieces. Highlights from these submissions were celebrated on the centreSA国际影视传媒檚 website and presented by the students in a June 10 livestream entitled Imagine a Canada: National Celebration.

Among the 10 winners this year in the kindergarten to Grade 5 category are Ecole St. Joseph students Sebastian and Elizabth Bernabe. The siblings each submitted their own piece: SebastianSA国际影视传媒檚 entitled Hope, and ElizabethSA国际影视传媒檚 entitled Forgiveness.

SebastianSA国际影视传媒檚 project featured both a short piano piece and accompanying drawing. The illustration is a portrait of an Indigenous woman with several icons around her head, including the flags of Canada and the Northwest Territories.

SA国际影视传媒淟ots of kids went to residential school, and they were so sad because they couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 see their parents,SA国际影视传媒� says Sebastian.

Elizabeth also drew a picture for her entry. Her picture features a teepee with a hand on top. The fingers are sprouting flowers. Around the hand are several drawings of a young girl, some with smiles, and one with a frown. As Elizabeth explains, the child with the frown has just experienced residential school.

The two projects were chosen from more than 1,000 entries from more than 100 schools across the country. The pair say they found out about the contest through their school, and were motivated to participate by their love of drawing and music.

They are the only two winners from the NWT across both age streams.

The full list of highlights can be found on the website of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.