Close to 100 students from Harold Peterson Middle School took part in a “No Stone Left Alone” ceremony in Oromocto, N.B. Tuesday — placing poppies on the headstones of fallen military members.
No Stone Left Alone is a nationwide effort to help students recognize and understand the sacrifices of those who died serving their country.
READ MORE: No Stone Left Alone honours fallen Canadian military
Students are given a fallen service member’s name, whose headstone they find and lay a poppy on as they read the name out loud before pausing for a moment.
Student Noah Gallant’s father recently retired from the military and says taking part in the ceremony gives him a new level of respect for his dad, and those who serve.
He says he and his classmates took part to honour service members who were killed in the line of duty.
“We’re here because they went over to fight for us,” Gallant said.
Harold Peterson Middle School teacher Pam Thomas says it’s a great way to get students involved in the community, adding she’s proud of them for taking part in the ceremony.
“I think it’s really important for the students to take part in this event because of where we are. We are in a military community, Base Gagetown is right here, and many of our students have parents or family members who are in the military,” Thomson said.
Student Carson Deveaux says it’s an honour to take part in the ceremony, especially because he has family members in the military — including his father, who went to Haiti in 1993 for a peace making mission.
“It’s also special to me because both my great grand fathers fought in the World Wars,” Deveaux said.
He says he hopes to also one day serve his country.
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