CBS girl’s eye for colour nabs Heritage Poster prize

By Mark Squibb

Mariell Sánchez, 16, of Conception Bay South has been named Heritage NL’s 20th annual Heritage Places Poster Contest.
The scene, which will be featured on Heritage NL’s 2025 Heritage Day poster, is of St. Patrick’s Church in Riverhead, St. John’s set against a backdrop of colourful Jelly Bean Row style houses.
Sánchez, a grade 11 home-schooled student, said she was excited to hear that she had won the contest.
“Ever since I was young, I’ve loved drawing and colouring,” said Sánchez, who has never taken professional art classes.
Sánchez recommends that folks make art for the enjoyment of it rather than to make a name for themselves, citing its therapeutic qualities. She likened creating art to keeping a diary or journal.
“It’s a way of putting your feelings on paper and expressing yourself,” said Sánchez. “It’s honestly relaxing.”
Sánchez, who likes to draw realistic and detailed scenes and portraits, said she was excited about this particular piece, and finished it in about three days.
Sánchez was named the Senior High and Overall winner. Other winners include Primary School winner Alex Card, Grade 3, of Anchor Academy, in St. John’s; Elementary School winner Arista Langdon, Grade 6, of Twillingate Island Elementary in Twillingate; and Junior High winner Maryna Borsenko, Grade 8, of Brother Rice Junior High in St. John’s.
Regional winners included Chloe Regular, Grade 12, of Holy Spirit High School in Conception Bay South who won the top entry in Avalon region.
Heritage NL, a provincial crown agency of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation, received over 1,000 entries from students across the province. The contest was open to students from the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District, Le Conseil scolaire francophone provincial de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador, Indigenous schools, private schools, and home-schooled students.
The organization celebrates it’s 40th anniversary this year.