Earlier this year, NIȽ TU,O Child and Family Services Society (NIȽ TU,O) organized a Youth Art Contest, offering prizes and rewards for the winning contestants. The challenge—submitting a drawing of language, plants, moons, the land and family—was open to youths between the ages of 3 and 19 who are affiliated with the Beecher Bay, Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Songhees, Tsawout, Tseycum, and T’Sou-ke Communities.

Contestants entered for the chance to win prizes and to have the submitted art included in NIȽ TU,O’s 2025 Calendar.

Over thirty young artists were chosen for inclusion in the Calendar layout, and each entry includes the artist’s name, age and personal interests. The winners include:

• Diamond, a 14-year-old from Tsartlip, who drew a beautiful sunset with mountains and trees.
• Lily-Maye, an 11-year-old from Pauquachin, who drew a house and a tree.
• Wyatt, a 5-year-old from T’Sou-ke, who drew his family under the stars.
• Derickah, an 11-year-old from Tsartlip, who drew a butterfly outside.
• Ade, who drew a dynamic landscape with a big rainbow.
• Katrina, an 11-year-old from T’Sou-ke, who drew a flower with the moon and stars.
• Neymar, an 8-year-old from Tsartlip, who drew a stunning line drawing.
• Jaxxen, a 9-year-old from Tsartlip, who drew a map with bold colours.
• Kensley, a 7-year-old from Tsartlip, who drew a girl with pink hair.
• Fillip, a 2-year-old, who drew a beautiful heart.
• Aaq Iiha drew a girl in a beautiful landscape.
• Tiq, a 10-year-old from T’Sou-ke, who drew pretty flowers.
• Luke, a 4-year-old from T’Sou-ke, who drew a big rainbow with lots of colours.
• Jasmine, a 9-year-old from Tsawout, who drew flowers on a hill.
• Kali, a 12-year-old from T’Sou-ke, who drew an eagle trying to catch a fish.
• Aleah Grace from Tsawout, who drew the sun and a mountain.
• Fiona, a 5-year-old drew the sun, flowers and a tree.
• Jolene, a 14-year-old from Tsartlip, who drew a sunny day with jumping fish.
• Aleah, a 7-year-old who likes camping, drew a waterfall.
• Bobbi-Ann, a 1-year-old, who boldly used green.
• William, a 19-year-old from Tsawout, who drew a sun with a Coast Salish design.
• Ariana from Tsawout, who drew herself swimming.
• Bodhi, a 10-year-old from Pauquachin, who drew a person on a hill filled with flowers.
• MJ, an 11-year-old from Tsawout, who drew a mountain with clouds.
• Lily JB, a 5-year-old from Pauquachin, who drew purple moons, stars and a cat.
• Tai’Stan, who made a bold art piece in black-and-white.
• Angel, an 8-year-old from Pauquachin, who drew a person and in the landscape.
• Derickah, an 11-year-old from Tsartlip, who drew a sunset and mountain.
• Annie, a 10-year-old from Pauquachin, who drew the sun and the moon.
• Zoey, a 9-year-old from Tsawout, who drew Kuromi.
• Lucas, a 6-year-old from Tsartlip, who drew a sunny landscape.
• Noah, an 11-year-old from T’Sou-ke, who drew his hand.
• Arabella, a 6-year-old from Pauquachin, who drew the night sky.
• Tyler, an 11-year-old from Tsartlip, who drew a mountain with bold lines.
• Beatrice, who submitted an elegant line drawing.
• Freddie, a 7-year-old from Tsawout, who drew a colourful landscape.

NIȽ TU,O is grateful for this opportunity to support its mission of strengthening Coast Salish families and communities by encouraging young community members to carry on the Coast Salish tradition of artistry. NIȽ TU,O is thoroughly impressed by the way the youths told stories through art and anticipates the Calendar will inspire both delight and reflection among community members.