A 12-year old student from Yellow Grass School, Maddison Epp, daughter of Leslie and Dave Epp, has earned recognition on a provincial level for her artwork in the annual Canada Day CBC People's Choice Awards poster challenge.

Maddison explained how her poster got entered into the competition. "It was a project we were working on for art, I was just lucky enough to send it into the competition and have it get as far as it did. I was shocked when I learned that they wanted me to be part of their competition."

The theme chosen for the Canada Day Poster Challenge 2008 was "My Canada Day". For her submission, drew the provincial and territorial boundaries of Canada, marking each one with its flag.

Epp's poster was chosen in the top 50 out of 1,200 entries in the province, where it was awarded the People's Choice Award on April 18 in Regina. This means that her artwork will travel to different art galleries in the province throughout the summer, along with the CBC's own art collection.

After she learned she had won the People's Choice Award, Maddison said, "I was amazed in how well I did. It was a great experience for me to compete at that level and have my art seen by many of my supporters and other people in the province. Especially since at the announcement in Regina I got to meet other students involved in the competition, as well as their teachers and parents."

"The support shown for my art during the voting stage from my friends, school mates, community and supporters in Weyburn was amazing," said Maddison.

As for her future as an artist, Maddison says it depends on what happens in the next year, on what response her art earns as it tours around the province.