Surrey and White Rock schools remember war and promote peace for Remembrance Day

L.A. Matheson Secondary's Remembrance Day assembly honoured the historic war efforts of Punjabi veterans, several of whom shared stories with classes at the school. LAM's Mustang Justice students also set up a large intersectional remembrance display titled The 4 Fronts of War, promoting a culture of peace and diplomacy.

Remembrance Day is this coming Monday, and in the week leading up to November 11, students across Surrey and White Rock paid tribute to Canada’s veterans and soldiers through various displays, arts and assemblies.

Around the world, Remembrance Day commemorates the end of the First World War in 1918 and serves as an annual memorial to honour those who fought and died for their country in that battle and ones to follow. Schools in Surrey and White Rock marked the day in a variety of ways this week.

Mustang Justice students at L.A. Matheson diligently setting up The 4 Fronts of War display.

L.A. Matheson Secondary’s Mustang Justice students put up a huge display on intersectional remembrance titled The 4 Fronts of War, advocating for a culture of peace for veterans, families and those oppressed by war, and alternatives to war. One of the displays, provided by the Indus Media Foundation, acknowledges the trauma of war and resulting PTSD of many soldiers, the sacrifices of families both in war zones and back home, the diminishment of contributions from BIPOC members of the military and an emphasis on diplomacy for governmental roles with conflict.

“Commemoration should not glorify but serve as a lesson to implement Lest We Forget into actions that prevent war, promote justice, and protect the world from the savagery of combat,” reads a statement from Mustang Justice.

L.A. Matheson’s assembly also honoured Punjabi soldiers who defended Canada in the First World War and Second World War, with many classes receiving the opportunity to hear untold stories from Punjabi veterans, as well as LAM alumnus Umar Farooq Khan, an actor and filmmaker who is highlighting the efforts of Punjabi and Indian veterans in an upcoming film.

The assembly also included a presentation for the BIPOC community, and the schools centered its annual Indigenous beaded poppy, with this year’s in memory of the school’s Métis Elder in Residence who recently passed away.

Semiahmoo Secondary hosted an elaborate ceremony honouring Canada’s military and women’s contributions during wartime, and featured a piper, colour guard, cadets, and 101-year-old veteran Percy Smith of White Rock, who served as a merchant marine in the Second World War.

Smith – a highly decorated war hero with numerous medals to his name, including the 1939-1945 Star, Atlantic Star, Arctic Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945, Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, Merchant Naval Service Medal and the Minister of Veteran Affairs Commendation – reminded students of the importance of honouring history so as not to repeat it.

“Remembering the past is how we can move into the future with hope and integrity,” said Smith. “It is why we raise memorials of war, so that we do not forget these horrors and run quickly into it again. It is also why we shall remember this Remembrance Day that war is not the answer to the world’s problems.”

Colebrook Elementary kindergarten students made designs of red poppies as part of their recognition of Remembrance Day.

Teacher-librarians at elementary schools across the district – including Adams Road, Dogwood, Forsyth Road, Maple Green, Senator Reid, Surrey Centre and William Watson – set up displays for Remembrance Day and highlighted significant books (see gallery below) about the First World War, Second World War, Dieppe, Vimy Ridge and other historic battles.

At Coast Meridian Elementary, Itcel Arevalo’s Grade 4/5 class incorporated elements of Pacific Northwest Indigenous artwork into paper poppies using 3D-printed stencils of shapes like the trigon, ovoid and crescent. Similarly, Jessica Dempster’s Grade 6 class at Woodland Park Elementary designed Indigenous poppies in remembrance.

To our veterans, thank you for your courage, bravery and sacrifice for your country. We will always remember.