REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY
On November 11th, the students and staff of VCI, along with several members of the community, gathered to pay their respects to Canada’s veterans. The VCI Concert Band, under the direction of Mr. Banhardt, played a number of pieces as classes made their way down to the new cafetorium, where Mme Kouao and Ms. Brodie presided over the ceremony. Following the national anthem, the principal, Mr. Campbell, spoke of the importance of taking time to remember the sacrifices made by so many. The Concert Band then played the beautiful and appropriate “Be Still My Soul.” The audience then watched as three students, dressed in period uniforms, took to the stage. Jacob Liutkus, wearing a WWI uniform belonging to VCI student Ben Dessureault’s great-grandfather, William Leggett, read a letter that Leggett had sent to his parents in March 1917. Samantha Gray, dressed as a WWI Red Cross nurse, read the poem “Passchendaele.” Finally, Liam Maloney, wearing the WWII naval uniform belonging to Ben’s grandfather, Edward Ratcliffe, read the poem “A Beach in France.” Following the readings, the audience watched a video tribute to those fallen in Afghanistan, featuring the song “Highway of Heroes.” Finally, they were moved by a short film featuring a conversation between Samantha and her grandmother, Elizabeth Fauteux, about growing up in Scotland during the war years. Few were left untouched by Mrs. Fauteux’s words, and her message that we must thank all veterans, shake their hands and thank them, for all they have done for us and for our freedom. Following the indoor ceremony, the processional was piped outside by Charles Hinse-MacCulloch, where Mr. Nieman laid a wreath on behalf of the staff, and Laura Barton and Mathew MacCormick on behalf of the students. Following “The Last Post,” played by Mr. Banhardt, the entire school body respected a minute of silence.