by Naomi Zurevinski, Grade 12, St. Joseph High School, Saskatoon

Visiting the grave of the soldier I researched really allowed for a much more personal connection to the war for me. I wondered if his own family ever had the chance to see his grave. All the graves that we visited were neatly organized and very respectable places. Visiting graves with markers of unknown soldiers is also quite sad and made me really think about those who gave their lives and the sacrifices that they made. Today at the Vimy Memorial, I was able to stand where soldiers stood and walk on the ground that they fought on, and it made me realize that Vimy is so much more than just a battle, or something that we learn about in school. Canadians should be so proud to know that so many young men sacrificed their lives for ours; and pay tribute to them by not forgetting their contribution.

Also in visiting the Juno Beach Centre I thoroughly enjoyed how detailed and interesting the museum was, and also how the beaches looked. All of the battlefields that Canadians fought on in France have been so incredibly well-preserved and show a great deal of gratitude towards the Canadian contribution. I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting them all and experiencing a small fraction of how the soldiers fought and seeing what they saw. It allows me to appreciate and have a better understanding of how war worked and the tragedy that the soldiers faced.