A North Vancouver high school student has been awarded an opportunity to step into Canada's past.
Zoe Anderson, a Handsworth secondary student, won the Vimy Pilgrimage Award, a fully funded educational program to study Canada's First World War effort.
According to a press release, the award recognizes the actions of young people who demonstrate outstanding service, positive contributions, notable deeds, bravery or leadership that may have served their peers, schools, communities, province or country.
Anderson, 17, along with 20 other recipients, was selected from more than 260 applicants across the country to participate.
The award program, organized by the Vimy Foundation, takes place from April 5 to 13 in Vimy, France, and includes classroom education and daily field trips to First World War sites and memorials. Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino will also be joining the group for Vimy Day on April 9 to the mark the anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Applicants were required to submit a motivation letter outlining the reasons why they were worthy of the award. They also had to include two letters of support by a teacher, guidance counsellor or principal, among others.
The Vimy Foundation was founded in 2005 and is based in Montreal. Its mission is to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy through the scholarship program, distribution of library books to school libraries and presentations highlighting the Battle of Vimy Ridge victory, to name a few.
