By Samantha Johnson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on November 9, 2022.
reporter@medicinehatnews.com Students in the Medicine Hat Public School Division are off this week, so Vincent Massey held its Remembrance Day assembly last Friday. Lindsay Steiner, teacher and vice principal, said it was the first in-person assembly for Remembrance Day since 2019 and how said it was wonderful to share it together rather than watching online. Steiner explained to the students the assembly was a time to remember and honour Canadian men and women who served and sacrificed during the First and Second World War, but also in international conflicts and peacekeeping missions that continue in modern times. “Our freedoms, democracy and quality of life that we all enjoy today is because of those Canadians who have served for us and our country,” continued Stenier. As is tradition at the school, Mrs. Elderkin’s Grade 5/6 class came up to the front to recite from memory In Flanders’s Field. Following them were three classes of Grade 2s and 3s to sing I’ve Got Peace in My Fingers accompanied by actions. Those gathered then listened to an online version of The Last Post followed by a minute of silence. Steiner encouraged the children to imagine what it would look like at a military event, and to stand as still as possible while focusing during the minute of silence. The assembly closed with an online song that has been watched in other years called We Remember. “How thankful we are for where we live and for everything soldiers have done for us,” said Steiner. All students and teachers were thanked for the important discussions they’ve had in class and the artwork and writing projects that went along with Remembrance Day this year. 10