OTTAWA -- COVID-19 did not stop students from paying tribute as they marked Remembrance Day, virtually.
On a day that would normally see students gather in gyms, auditoriums, or trips to the local cenotaph, students of the Ottawa District School Board had a chance to watch and participate online.
Serenity Prince is in Grade 6 at Queen Mary Street Public School. This Remembrance Day, she told a touching story of her great-grandfather, and one of Canada’s most decorated Indigenous soldiers.
"Tommy Prince was my great-grandfather; he served in Second World War, and the Korean War," said Prince, speaking of the challenges he faced. "When they needed more people to fight, he was accepted; he would only be accepted if he gave up his Indian status, which he gave up."
The story of Tommy Prince is important to share, but it wasn’t shared with just her classmates at a typical school gym assembly; but, with thousands of other students across Ottawa.
"Cause I want to share what things my family did," Prince tells CTV News Ottawa.
The Ottawa District School Board held a virtual ceremony. Students watched from their classrooms.
"We wanted to find a way to still honour the fallen soldiers and also those who live with on-going impacts of conflict, in a way that was COVID-wise, and this was the way to do it,” says Shannon Smith, OCDSB Superintendent. "It was really an opportunity to bring together both individual and group student performances and contributions, from across the district."
Stories and performances told by students; bagpipes played at Barrhaven’s John McRae secondary school could be heard across the entire school board. Students at Charles H. Hulse Public School sang, “Sing me a song for November.” A performance by Berrigan Public School, just some of what was shown; including, a group zoom O’Canada, as sung by students from across Ottawa.
In the days leading up to Nov. 11, students of Brookfield Secondary School read Flanders’ Fields in different languages.
A way of connecting students to pay tribute and remember.
"It’s important to do it," says Prince.
