KDSS students among about 100 from Bluewater school board at Vimy Ridge celebration

It was an impactful history lesson that more than 100 students from four Bluewater District School Board secondary schools will never forget.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, participating students had the once-in-lifetime experience of attending a high-profile commemorative event at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France, Sunday, April 9.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was fought in northern France from April 9-12, 1917. While 3,600 Canadians lost their lives in the battle, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial commemorates all Canadians who served in the First World War. The names of 11,285 Canadians who died in France are engraved on its walls.

It was a surreal learning opportunity for Kincardine District Secondary School students (with staff and chaperones, right) who had prepared for the anniversary trip by researching local war heroes from the First World War.

The excursion was especially personal for one student whose relatives fought in the war. By travelling on this trip, she was the first in her family to visit the site of one of those relatives buried in the Canadian cemetery closest to the Vimy memorial.

In a very touching and meaningful tribute, she and her school mates conducted a small ceremony at the grave site which included the laying of a wreath, and a fellow student playing bagpipes. Later that evening on CBC’s “The National,” she had a chance to briefly speak about her personal experience.

The trip was equally exciting for students from Grey Highlands Secondary School in Flesherton, who began their travels with a stop in London, England at the Imperial War Museum; for students from Peninsula Shores District School in Wiarton who toured the St. Julien Memorial just outside of Ieper (also known as Ypres) in Belgium, and the Eiffel Tower, as well as the Vimy monument; and for students from Owen Sound District Secondary School who expanded their learning and appreciation of this pivotal moment in Canadian history through tours of various sites.

Field trip opportunities, such as this truly special Vimy Ridge milestone, serve as a clear demonstration of the Bluewater school board’s commitment to provide authentic and relevant experiences that enable students to connect their learning to the real world.

Vimy’s 100th anniversary is a perfect example of an experiential, enriching and engaging learning initiative that is bound to leave a lasting impression on all those who participated.



Kincardine District Secondary School students, staff and chaperones at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France, Sunday, April 9; photos courtesy of the Bluewater District School Board