‘The future generation needs to know’: Sharing the importance of Remembrance Day with students

As Remembrance Day approaches, students honour the men and women who serve.

Students at École du Carrefour in Dartmouth, N.S., gathered Friday morning ahead of Remembrance Day to pay their respects.

The events started outside with a flag raising, followed by a special ceremony inside with military members in attendance.

Grade 8 student Anaïs L’Ecuyer-Steele emceed the ceremony.

“More and more people are starting to forget the values we learn from Remembrance Day, especially younger people, and I feel by having a kid their age on the stage talking about it, it’s another way for me to raise more awareness,” she said.

L’Ecuyer-Steele is an air cadet who has a special connection to Remembrance Day.

“I am a military child. My two moms are and were in the military. My brother is also in the navy, and it’s always been just a part of my family,” she said.

Reflecting on the significance of the day is not lost among other students.

“It’s important to celebrate Remembrance Day because it’s our past. We remember the soldiers that have fallen, and we acknowledge that they gave their lives for the Canadian forces and to protect our country,” said Grade 8 student Louisa Seneker.

“It’s important to celebrate it in schools because the future generation needs to know what happened in the past.”

At nearby École Bois-Joli, younger students participated in a Remembrance Day ceremony. Parents and family members who are in the military or are first responders were invited to show up in uniform.

Music teacher Kate Therien has been organizing the event since 2019.

“We try to make a ceremony that’s proper for the age of the kids, so we don’t want it to be too difficult or heavy to follow, but we want it to be solemn, and we like to have kids involved,” she said.

Two of the children involved were Grade 3 students Margot MacHattie and Maya Robichaud.

“We’re singing O Canada at school,” said Margot.

“So that we can remember the people in the military,” said Maya.

Therien said it’s important to share the message of Remembrance Day with the next generation.

“I think for our school it’s especially important because we have a lot of military families, a lot of families from all over, but many people, because of the Francophone school, we have families from Quebec, so that military presence is very big in our school,” said Therien.

Ceremonies were held at the two schools Friday because they will be closed on Tuesday to mark Remembrance Day.

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