By: Jill Anderson, STS Teacher
On November 5, Grade 7 students took part in a special No Stone Left Alone ceremony to honour the sacrifice and service of Canada's military. Students placed poppies on headstones in the Field of Honour at the Okotoks Cemetery. No Stone Left Alone Memorial Foundation aims to ensure that no veteran’s headstone is left alone on Remembrance Day. During the student-led ceremony students performed “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, read the Act of Remembrance, and recited the Commitment to Remember.
Areebah W. '27 also shared the beautiful poem she authored titled, "Remembrance Day":
To those souls who have been lost,
To those who never returned.
To those who felt stray.
We honour you.
We leave a poppy at your doorstep,
Worn with deep sorrow.
Those who witnessed blades and flashes of red,
We think of you in our heads.
These days are to be honoured,
To this day we say,
This is Remembrance Day.
A poignant moment happened when students and staff placed poppies on the graves of veterans and took a moment to reflect on the individual sacrifices made by soldiers. These uniquely crafted poppies were beautifully painted rocks created by the students in fine arts.
Staff and students were honoured to have veteran Malcom Hughes, who served as a Senior Aircraftman in the 1950s, join us for the ceremony. He spoke at the end of the service and his words had a profound impact as he shared memories of losing family members and friends during the war. It was a powerful reminder that these soldiers were individuals with families and friends who loved them. Through this experience, students became deeply aware of the selflessness and bravery of those who served to defend our country and gave the ultimate sacrifice.
