Remembrance Day: Modern History students acknowledge service and sacrifice
“Remembrance Day is an opportunity to acknowledge service and sacrifice, and hope that servicemen currently posted abroad see a safe and speedy return,” Jessica of Year 11 reflected at 韩国AV’s Remembrance Day Assembly
“Hearing the stories of mateship, courage and selflessness that emerge from these horrors, I am somewhat comforted by the strength of the human spirit: our resilience and ability to arise despite circumstance.”
Jessica, Emma, Natalie, Holly, Vishanee and Bridie shared their unique perspectives on war, courage, mateship and loss at the Remembrance Day Assembly, coordinated by Mrs Deb Clarke, Head of Teaching and Learning in the Middle School and History Teacher, on Tuesday 8 November, 2016.
The girls are all Modern History students and enjoyed the opportunity to make connections between their syllabus, context and family stories.
“We’re studying World War I in Modern History, and the more I researched, the more I saw how futile the war was, how tragic the losses were for such little gain, and how it is so important to reflect on these events to stop the meaningless sacrifice of lives at war,” Natalie said.
“As history students, we are reminded of war and what happened every single day as we learn,” Emma said, “but a lot of girls don’t take history or are unaware of the facts,” she said, and in her speech, attempted to provide perspective for those who aren’t familiar with war stories.
Jessica believes studying the war has given her insight into the lives of soldiers. For her Remembrance Day speech, she tried to “draw some of the positive out of that, and look for the hope and peace about that day.”
And that’s exactly what she did – she honoured the contribution Australian servicemen have made to our nation. “We commit ourselves to upholding the values for which these Australians gave their lives,” she said at Assembly. “We also commit ourselves afresh to the great cause of peace. In remembering them, we make a promise – a promise to never repeat the losses and wrongs of the past. We remember because to remember is to hope.”
Following the Assembly, Head Prefect Charlotte and Vice Prefects Xanthe and Charlotte laid a wreath alongside Junior School leaders at the cenotaph in St Leonards Park.