By Matt Weingarden
History teacher Paula Brownlee wanted her Villanova High School students to connect with history in a meaningful way.
On this crisp, cool, and sunny autumn morning, she led her class to the Victoria Memorial Gardens cemetery in Oldcastle, offering them a lesson that went far beyond the pages of their textbooks.
“One day I was driving by the legion and across the cemetery I saw the flags,” Brownlee recalled. “I thought that would be a great idea for our students to be involved with.”
Inspired by the sight, Brownlee contacted Royal Canadian Legion Chair Gerry Triscic, a member of branch 594, proposing that her students take part in a special tribute—planting Canadian flags in honor of local veterans who have passed away.
With Triscic’s support, the students eagerly participated, carefully placing flags beside the graves of those who had served their country. As they moved among the rows of headstones, the students spoke quietly, reading names and dates, reflecting on the lives and sacrifices of the men and women buried there.
“We plant flags three times a year, in June, in honour of Legion week in September, and for Remembrance Day,” said Triscic. “We’re thrilled to involve the Villanova students and continue the tradition into the future. This is a first. They need to know the history, the reason that they experience the freedom they do today.”
For Brownlee, the experience was about more than history. It was about gratitude and remembrance. “I wanted them to understand that behind every name is a story, a family, and a legacy,” she said. “It’s important to remember those who gave so much for the freedoms we enjoy today. These are real people.”
“We hear the stories in the textbook, but this type of experience brings it full circle…we go beyond the textbook,” she continued. “It brings a realization that many of the veterans buried here today, are their exact same age.”
Brownlee shares that students will also have the opportunity to meet with local veterans and speak with them about their experiences. “I have a list of veterans from the community and we’re reaching out to them and doing an oral history project from it,” shared Brownlee.
The students’ visit left a powerful image — as hundreds of small flags fluttered in the autumn wind, serving as a small reminder of the sacrifices made by those who came before us and gave everything to defend their country.
“When you read the textbooks you do realize what these soldiers went through. The sacrifices made for freedom and Canada as a whole,” said Luka Varacalli, a gr. 10 student. ““You can see how many there are so many graves of veterans. They just wanted the greater good for Canada,”
As the morning sun shone on rows of fluttering red and white flags, the lesson left a lasting impression—one the students would not soon forget.
