A week of remembrance and reflection at Oakville Trafalgar High School featured a number of events and speakers to help the community acknowledge the ultimate sacrifices of Canadian solders.

With Remembrance Day on Thursday, November 11, the school held a poignant opening ceremony on Thursday, November 4 to launch a student-driven vigil to honour those who fought in wars. The hour-long ceremony included a speech from Oakville resident and author Tom Douglas, whose father fought in, and survived, the Second World War as a member of the 19th Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery.

In addition, a number of OT students told the life story of a particular soldier they had researched, illustrating the men behind the uniforms. As well, an emotional five-minute video was played about the Great Wars. Historical records show 11 men from Oakville Trafalgar High School died in WWI.

Throughout the week, students and visitors to Oakville Trafalgar High School saw names of the 68,000 Canadians who lost their lives in WWI projected onto a wall in the Library Seminar Room. Periodically, an image  appeared of one of the 3,600 cemeteries where the Canadians are buried. The Library Seminar Room also featured attestation papers, images, poems, musical selections, plus other WWI research documents prepared by Grade 10 Canadian History classes were on display. The vigil was a partnership with the Churchill Society for the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy, the International Churchill Society Canada and Veteran Affairs Canada.

Author Douglas said after the ceremony he’s happy to see OT students take such a keen interest in the war as a way to tell the soldiers’ stories.

“I think it’s wonderful,” he says. “There was a time when even the vets didn’t want to talk about (the war). …if you don’t remember history, you’re doomed to repeat it.”

Students have been the driving force behind the planning, preparation and delivering of the vigil event. They have also participated in OT’s Memory Project. Teacher Pam Calvert says she is very proud of their commitment to this project.

“I think there’s been a resurgence and interest in remembering (soldiers),” she says. “Here’s another opportunity (for the public) to come and see what students are doing to remember.”

Grade 12 student Evan Formosa was one of the organizers of the event and felt the "special” vigil would attract interest from his fellow students as well as the community. 

“It’s a good feeling to see it all come together, to see people come out and support us in this project,” he says, amazed at the soldiers’ courage to fight during war. “You watch that (opening ceremony) video and you think, that’s what those men did.”

Superintendent Stuart Miller was hopeful the public would take the opportunity to stop by the school and remember the lives of brave Canadian soldiers.

“There’s a reason we have to remember and it’s important to do it,” he says. “It’s just as important students remember.”

The Oakville Trafalgar High School project was one of many vigils occurring throughout Canada. Visit www.1914-1918.ca to learn more about the national vigil.