A Sir George Simpson teacher is off to Vimy Ridge this week as part of the official Canadian delegation commemorating that historic moment in this nation's history.
Thousands of dignitaries will gather at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France this Sunday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, a pivotal moment in Canadian history.
Many local residents will be amongst the crowd, but Sir George Simpson teacher Simon Pagé will be one of the few in the front rows as part of the official Canadian delegation at the event.
Pagé said he was asked to be one of the two teacher escorts for the delegation's youth brigade, which consists of 26 high school and university students from across the nation. He was recruited through his previous involvement with the Encounters with Canada program, which has students tour Ottawa to learn about their country.
"It is such a great honour," he said of his role, and he felt privileged to be one of the only two teachers picked to be guides.
"It's almost a dream come true."
Pagé said he also worked as a tour guide at the Vimy memorial decades ago, and was excited to share what he knew about the site with the students.
The students arrived in Ottawa on Monday and spent a few days learning about Canadian history at local museums, Pagé said. They also visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Parliament Hill. Once in France later this week, they will visit the original burial site of the Unknown Soldier.
The delegation leaves for France Thursday. Once there, the students will visit significant First World War sites such as Passchendaele and Ypres – including the spot where poet John McRae wrote In Flanders Fields – while researching biographies of Canadian soldiers in that war.
Pagé said he also hoped to meet the mayor of Vimy, France, to convey greetings, flags and a letter from Vimy, Alberta. He has also packed 30 small wooden crosses made and decorated by Simpson students with the names of students and First World War soldiers that he hoped to place in war cemeteries as a gesture of remembrance.
Pagé said students in the youth brigade will lay wreaths at different war cemeteries in France and have a yet-to-be-finalized role in Sunday's event.
"Vimy is a very impressive site," he said, one that really shows students how Canadians are perceived abroad.
Pagé said what struck him most about the site was the age of the soldiers who died at Vimy.
"Some of them were 15, 16, 17 – very young to be fighting in a war."
Pagé said the battle of Vimy Ridge was an important moment in Canadian history and that every Canadian should visit the site at least once. He said he hoped that this trip would give students a greater appreciation of Canada's military and boost their national pride.
"It's going to be something we will remember forever."
Canada.ca/vimy-100 has more on Sunday's ceremony.
Vincent J. Maloney students will put their pedals to the metal Thursday to raise cash to cure diabetes.
About 255 VJM students will ride 43 stationary bikes for almost 10 hours Thursday as part of the school's sixth annual Cyclebetes marathon. The fundraiser challenges students to ride bikes all day to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which aims to cure Type 1 diabetes.
The school was very close to its goal of $40,000 as of Tuesday and would be taking donations up until the end of the event, said Janelle Hobbs, teacher co-ordinator of the fundraiser.
"It's a great cause."
The school's Grade 9 Leadership class has organized a raft of sponsors and activities for the event, Hobbs said. VJM alumnus Paul Woida will perform a concert, while teacher Aaron Kelly will have his magnificent beard shaved by students.
VJM has already raised about $200,000 for the JDRF through Cyclebetes, said spokesperson Cheryl Vickers. That cash has helped the JDRF support diabetes researchers across the continent, including St. Albert surgery professor Gregory Korbutt at the University of Alberta.
Cyclebetes runs from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at VJM this April 6.
