Manitoba to pay for students to travel to war sites in Europe
The Manitoba government is sending high school students to Juno Beach and other historic battlfields to increase their awareness about the world wars.
Premier Wab Kinew and Tracy Schmidt, minister of kindergarten-to-Grade 12 learning, announced Friday they had approved a new fund to help students travel overseas.
'Learning the lessons of history and honouring the sacrifices made by Canadians before us is a key element of understanding and upholding human rights, diversity and inclusion in our province,' Kinew said in a news release.
A small Canadian flag is seen on Juno Beach on the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Courseulles-Sur-Mer, France in 2019. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press files)
A total of $200,000 has been earmarked for the first year of the multi-year pilot of immersive and international field trips.
Grade 11 and 12 students from Winnipeg, Brandon and Frontier school divisions have been invited to participate in the inaugural trip.
A group of 25 students and chaperones from four schools are scheduled to visit multiple sites, including Vimy Ridge (Vimy, France), Juno Beach (Normandy, France) and In Flanders Fields Museum (Ypres, Belgium), in November.
The participants hail from Sisler and Churchill in Winnipeg, Crocus Plains in Brandon and Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre in Norway House.
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Kinew hinted about the initiative in his throne speech Nov. 19, opening the second session of the 43rd legislature.
maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca
Maggie MacintoshEducation reporter
Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie.
Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative.
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