Beaverbrook Vimy Prize
2008 Vimy Prize winners.
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The Beaverbrook Vimy Prize competition is the Foundation’s flagship program. Providing young students with a historical perspective second to none, the annual scholarship brings together youth from Canada, the United Kingdom and France, so that they can better appreciate the intertwined history of their three nations and come to understand the bravery and sacrifice of war.
The Beaverbrook Vimy Prize competition also builds upon the legacy of Lord Beaverbrook, (1879-1964), a prominent Canadian historical figure known for his creativity, ambition, leadership and vibrant energy. Born in Canada of modest background, Max Aitken rose as a successful entrepreneur, both in Canada and the United Kingdom where he became an influential newspaper publisher, important Government minister and friend and close colleague of Winston Churchill during World War II.
The Beaverbrook Vimy Prize is awarded on the basis of essay submissions and interviews. Participants must be 15-17 years old with a 70% grade average at school and proven leadership skills. Winners take part in an intensive scholarship program in Europe, participating in educational seminars and museum events, including visits to the iconic Vimy War Memorial and other historic battlefields and gravesites, in England, Belgium and France.
New Prize for Canadian Students
New for 2011, the Vimy Foundation will be offering ten prizes for Canadian students who earn honourable mentions. These ten winners will each win a place at Vimy: Canada's Coming of Age, a special educational week at Encounters with Canada in Ottawa in April 2012. One more reason to submit your Beaverbrook Vimy Prize application today!
Over the last several years, the reach of the Beaverbrook Vimy Prize has continued to increase. In 2009 alone, the Foundation saw an increase of 50% in submissions from students, with applications from nine provinces and one territory. The Foundation has now had a total of 50 Vimy Prize winners from across Canada, in France and in the United Kingdom.
For most students, the best memories are those of meeting veterans, historians, scholars and specialists on the ground, as well as visiting Vimy, diverse cemeteries and studying the battlefields. Alumni from the Vimy Prize competition often become ambassadors for the Vimy Foundation following their scholarship. Their continued participation in Vimy Foundation activities is a great asset to the future of the organization.