Gravenhurst High School Grade 10 students cleaned the veterans’ section of Mickle Memorial Cemetery on Nov. 4, ahead of Remembrance Day.
The students gathered at the cemetery from noon to 2:30 p.m. and, with the help of cemetery operator Chris Tryon, raked leaves and cleaned the graves.
History teacher Gerald Willmott said the initiative was intended to honour those who fought and died for the freedoms and way of life enjoyed today, while helping students remember their sacrifices.
“It’s a chance to make connections between what we learn in the classroom and what we see out in the world,” he said. “It’s also a chance to go over a little bit of the history from the POW camp that existed in Gravenhurst during World War II, Camp Calydor.”
Willmott said he has organized the initiative for several years, following a suggestion from the school’s former vice-principal, with the hope of encouraging students and people across Canada to attend Remembrance Day ceremonies.
