European experience

Posted on: J A McRae

Shannon LeClair – Times Reporter

Strathmore High school went to Europe for the Victory in Europe tour. Students, teachers and parents followed the path of Canadian soldiers in World War I and II. Including Holland, which Canada liberated in World War two.

“This trip was different from any other we have done in the past because we had all sorts of ceremonies, remembrance ceremonies, grave sites, concentration camps and liberating ceremonies to attend. We also got to march in a parade which probably 150,000 Dutch citizens came out and watched,” said Kenton Zandee, a teacher at Strathmore high school. 

It was a very meaningful trip: it commemorated the 65th anniversary of the end of World War two.

“It could be the last time the Dutch government does anything this big again, because almost all the veterans now are gone,” said Zandee.

 “Not only were the kids great ambassadors for the school but I think everyone came away from it feeling more proud to be a Canadian, and really that’s sort of what we were hoping to achieve,” said Zandee.

There were approximately 2,700 kids attending from all over the country.

“We were probably one of four groups from Alberta, about 98 per cent of them were from Ontario,” said Zandee.
Tracey Rogers was one of the chaperones on the trip.

“It was the trip of a lifetime. It was so emotional at times, you felt proud to be a Canadian,” said Rogers.
“From a chaperones point of view, they were a great bunch of kids and we had a lot of fun.”

The 10 Strathmore students were in Europe for 12 days. The students and chaperones travelled through Paris, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.