Anzac spirit spreads
Out of the mouths of babes came some interesting comments and questions as Nelson Christian Academy pupils paid respect to Anzac soldiers.
The junior syndicate at the school have been learning about Anzac Day in the lead up to the day of commemoration and finished off the programme by laying paper poppies on the plaques at Marsden Valley Returned Servicemen Cemetery.
Students aged 5 to 7 had some serious quips that touched the teachers on the trip and some, not so serious.
Head of junior syndicate and teacher Elise Cotter said that on arrival, the pupils were asked to respect the grave sites as they represented a soldier who had died.
‘‘A few of the kids thought the soldiers had fallen over on the ground where the plaques were and had died there.’’
Every curious comment was gently corrected by staff on the trip.
The new memorial statue was a hit with the children.
Cotter said they all wanted to put poppies in its arms.
‘‘One of the kids said, ‘He’s got a very very big drink bottle.’.’’ ‘‘It was actually his rifle.’’ Another misconception was about the poppies.
She said some young pupils thought the flowers had been on them when they died, ‘‘so we talked about the fact the poppies were in the field where they got shot’’.
On a more serious note, a few of the girls said, ‘‘Let’s have a moment’s silence and think about all those that have died’’.
During the silence, they were encouraged to think about anyone they had known who had died, Cotter said.
‘‘After a moment’s silence, one boy said, ‘I almost cried’.
‘‘They got the feeling that it was a special moment,’’ Cotter said.
It was the first year the school had paid a visit to the memorial to lay poppies.
‘‘It was actually very cool. We’re very excited to do it every year and make it bigger and better.’’