Every year on Nov. 11, Canadians pause in a moment of silence to honour and remember the men and women who have served, and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace.
We remember the more than 2.3 million Canadians that have served throughout our nation鈥檚 history and the more than 118,000 that have made the ultimate sacrifice.
When it comes to remembering fallen soldiers, people tend to assume that youth will not be interested, nor will they be respectful. That may be the case for some, however in Jasper youth are very involved in the ceremonies and traditions of Remembrance Day.
Students do everything from perform the national anthem during the community鈥檚 Remembrance Day ceremony, to putting on full ceremonies at the high school the day before.
Clearly none of us have ever fought in a war, but we can empathize with those who have.
During those moments of silence, we think of those who have fallen, those who have returned, and those whose loved ones never came home.
We come together as a community in those few moments, the young and the old, and in those moments, we do not forget. We remember.
For young and old, Remembrance Day brings the community together to reflect.
鈥淎ttending a Remembrance Day ceremony is a very respectful way for teens to show they are grateful to those who have died defending the freedoms they enjoy today, and it鈥檚 also a show of support for those of us who made it home but are dealing with injuries or PTSD,鈥� says Brian Stevens, a veteran of the Afghanistan war.
These ceremonies are the events that bring this town together. They unify us and show that we all care and respect each other, and that鈥檚 a truly wonderful thing.
Gabrielle Guignard
Jasper Junior/Senior High School student
