Ottawa high school students honour WWII veterans with expanded 'Walking Them Home' project

The "Walking Them Home" project, originally launched by Glebe Collegiate, has expanded this year through a partnership with Lisgar Collegiate.

The initiative now honours the memory of nearly 100 soldiers from both schools who died in World War II.

"It means a lot because he walked the same halls as everyone here," Glebe Collegiate student Flora Panaccio said.

These soldiers' stories are being marked with commemorative signs displayed in homes across Glebe and Centretown.

"They had commitments outside of just going to war. Maybe that's what they're recognized for now, but they were also recognized for so much more," Glebe Collegiate student Ellie White said.

The signs were installed on Nov. 1 and will remain in place until Nov. 15.

"It's important, as we are engaging in remembrance, to have somebody that we can think about authentically, know exactly who they were," Jessica McIntyre, Glebe Collegiate's head of Canadian and World Studies and Social Sciences, said.

"So that when we are in that moment where we are asked to have a moment of silence, there's somebody that we can remember really intimately."

The project is especially significant this year, as it aligns with the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, with the majority of the soldiers having served in its ranks.

"Most of the alumni and the students from Lisgar and from Glebe that served went into the RCAF," Sheri Jarvis, Lisgar Collegiate's head of Canadian and World Studies and Social Sciences, said. "And it's the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the RCAF. And so we felt that it was important to recognize their efforts."

As part of the expansion, the project has made over half of its website bilingual, allowing greater access for French-speaking community members. In just five days, the website has seen over 750 visitors, demonstrating the growing interest and engagement with the initiative.

This year’s efforts to honour these soldiers have strengthened ties within the community, inviting reflection on the sacrifices made during wartime. The project continues to celebrate and remember those who served, especially the students from Glebe and Lisgar who gave their lives during World War II.

"Most of these soldiers, they aren't known. And as time goes on, they become more forgotten. And this project gives us the opportunity to learn about them and be able to share," Glebe Collegiate student Florence Haba said.

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