OUTLOOK - The Vimy Foundation is an organization dedicated to raising awareness of the role Canada played in the First World War and the implications of Canada's success in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Each year the Foundation recognizes outstanding young Canadians by presenting them a Vimy Pilgrimage Award. This year, one of the winners was a high school student from Lucky Lake who is attending school at LCBI in Outlook.
Liam Jones lives on a farm ten minutes outside of Lucky Lake, right near the Riverhurst Ferry. He began attending LCBI in grade 9 and is a graduating senior in the class of 2022.
He first found out about the Vimy Pilgrimage Award when his mom saw an Instagram ad less than a week before the application was due. Liam quickly got to work writing a number of essays asking him to highlight volunteer work, his hobbies and well as his general knowledge of the First World War. He also needed to put a resume together and obtain two reference letters. "I was quite busy and stressed trying to get everything done before the application deadline," Liam remarked. February 15 will be forever burned in his memory as he busily got everything ready to be submitted. A few weeks later he received an email stating he had been selected for an interview.
There was now more work to be done including a number of assignments and projects. “This included a group project with the fellow recipients,” Liam explained. “Mine was on mental health in the First World War.” He also had about a dozen articles to read and take notes on, as well as a biography and reflection on a soldier or nursing sister who died in battle. “I had around six months to work on these projects, so it was not as stressful, which was nice,” Liam shared.
Vimy Pilgrimage Award winners are selected based on their commitment to volunteer work, and positive impact on peers, school, community, province or country. Liam fit this criteria well according to LCBI Principal Jennifer Ridgewell who said he contributes athletically and musically to the life of the school, and has become a dedicated leader on campus. "He is an integral part of our Leadership team," she said. "As a House Leader he is responsible for leading weekly meetings, activities and chapels. He is also a leader on the cross country, volleyball, basketball, and track teams at school." Musically, he is a valued member of the choir, jazz band, and musical theatre program, and can often be found using his talents on the piano and guitar as he leads worship music in chapel. Ridgewell added, "Liam also uses these same talents to give back to the community through his volunteer performances at numerous events in Outlook."
In describing his own volunteer work, Liam spoke about raising money for Telemiracle, leading worship music at church, serving as linesmen for volleyball games and leading intramurals. Through the school's volunteer program, he enjoys going to the long term care home to play music for the residents.
Ridgewell said Liam is a very deserving winner of this award. "In addition to his hours of school involvement and community volunteering, Liam works very hard to create a positive and welcoming atmosphere in his school," she commented. "He is always willing to help out wherever he is needed."
Not only was Liam excited about finding out he had won the award, but so were his parents and grandparents who have a deep connection with the First World War. “They were all very proud of me,” Liam remarked.
Liam has family who served in the military, including a distant relative who served recently in Canada’s armed forces. As well, his mother’s grandfather David and his half-brother Chester both served in the First World War. Liam says his mom and grandma are both passionate about their family history.
“Through their efforts in maintaining and recovering our family's history,” Liam shared, “I was able to learn more about my family’s connection to the war.”
The Vimy Pilgrimage Award normally consists of a fully funded educational experience in Belgium and France to visit museums, cemeteries and historic battlefields, giving students a unique perspective in understanding Canada’s contribution to the First World War. COVID prevented that trip from happening so instead the 20 selected students spent the second week in November in Ottawa.
The group spent full days visiting sites related to the First World War, Indigenous peoples, Canadian art and more. “We crammed a lot of stuff in our schedule,” Liam said. “We saw museums, cenotaphs, cemeteries and memorials all over the downtown area.”
A highlight was being in Ottawa on November 11. “The morning of Remembrance Day, we saw the National Service at the National War Memorial across from Parliament Hill." The group arrived two hours prior to the start of the service which gave them good spots to see all that was taking place. “We had a perfect view of all of the marching parts of the ceremony,” he said.
Other highlights included touring Parliament Hill, as well as connecting with fellow recipients. “I was so grateful for the other winners,” he said. “Everyone was so incredibly kind and funny.” Their accomplishments impressed Liam. “I was quite astonished at my fellow recipients. The talent and personality of my peers was incredible. We had athletes, world class chess players and national spelling bee winners. It was so nice to get to know everyone. I’ll never forget them.”
Liam is grateful for the opportunity this award gave him. “Learning about the people who died for my country has great importance to me. It seems quite simple. Why wouldn’t I want to learn about people who sacrifice their lives for me? Why wouldn’t I want to learn about my nation's deep history in general?”
It’s all part of his desire to continuously keep learning. “I guess I always have to know more,” he explained. “I have an interest in gaining knowledge like that. When I’m reading a history textbook in class, or any book for that matter, I need to keep reading. I need to keep gaining that knowledge; even more so when it relates to my country’s history.”
Liam believes understanding more about the First World War is important. “When we learn about the First World War, we honour those who served,” he said. “We are dedicating our time to remember and commemorate their actions in battle.”
The First World War, particularly the Battle at Vimy Ridge, played a vital part in forming Canada’s national identity. Understanding this history and the sacrifices it required matters to Liam. “Why not learn more about what helped further establish our nation?” he asked. “Men and women fought for the country we have today. By learning about their sacrifice, we can truly honour them.”
