When Mike Garrow, principal of H.J. Cody, first started with the school six years ago, he noticed the national anthem was not being sung. He felt strongly about reintroducing the practice back into the school and has done so this year, starting with the first day of classes.
However there were no flags in the classrooms, a fact that has been remedied by the collaboration of the Sylvan Lake Rotary Club and Veterans Voices of Canada. Each organization paid half for the 30 smaller flags donated to the school. One of the flags from the recent Flags of Remembrance display along Highway 11 was also given to the school to be displayed.
Garrows sees the flags and the singing of the national anthem as a way to bring a greater sense of unity to the school.
“Whether it’s race, whether it’s language, whether it’s beliefs, when you stand and you listen to that anthem and look at the Canadian flag it represents all of our students without distinction” he said, adding that we’re all here for the same purpose and to represent our country.
myra.nicks@sylvanlakenews.com
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