WWII Veterans Share Stories with Grade 10 Students
This month, Grade 10 students have met with WWII veterans to hear their stories. Veteran Jim Parks (see picture) visited Mr. Downer’s Grade 10 history class to share his experience as a soldier in World War Two. Parks, a member of the Winnipeg Rifles, was among the first wave of Canadian soldiers to land at Juno Beach on June 6, 1944, two minutes before the main assault wave hit. We are very grateful to have welcomed Mr. Parks to our campus.
Other veterans, who enriched the learning experience for our Grade 10 students by visiting virtually to classes of Mr. Downer, Ms. Moonan and Mr. De Sanctis, were Jack Gutman, Bill Norberg and John Cross. Mr. Gutman invaded Normandy as part of the D-Day invasion alongside U.S. Army soldiers. Several months later, he invaded Okinawa alongside Marines. Mr. Norberg joined the U.S. Navy prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and his service on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise placed him at some of the most critical engagements in the Pacific theater. Mr. Cross OBE is a former British Army officer and now a Nepalese author who currently lives in Nepal. His first active service was in the Burma Campaign of World War II against the Japanese.
Thanks to Jaxon Hekkenberg ’23 for helping to facilitate these conversations through his own extensive work with veterans.
Land Acknowledgment
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
