Student video helps shine light on historic conflict

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This article was published 01/08/2012 (5045 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, one of the pivotal events in Canadian history.

Reminders of the heroes of that conflict can be found not only in history books, but in buildings such as École Laura Secord School in Wolseley and Isaac Brock School in the West End.

Xavierie Versoza, 11, considers the namesakes of those schools two of her biggest heroes.

The East Kildonan student, who will be going into Grade 7 at Holy Ghost School this fall, created a video commemorating the War of 1812 and the true-life stories of Laura Secord and Sir Isaac Brock as part of the Canada’s History Young Citizens Program.

“I wanted Canadians to know that we wouldn’t be Canadians in the first place, if we hadn’t fought the Americans,” Versoza explains on the project’s website.

Versoza’s video can be found at www.canadashistory.ca/Kids/YoungCitizens/Profiles/2012/Xavierie-Versoza.aspx.

She is among 200 Young Citizens in Grades 4 to 11 from schools across the country. Singled out at heritage fairs held this past school year, the students were given digital cameras to record short videos capturing the essence of their research into Canada’s past.

Since June, the public has been invited to view the videos online and vote on their favorites. Submissions include a student retracing her great-grandmother’s journey to Canada, research into the residential school experience for aboriginal students, and a look at Canada’s role in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster.

Six winners will eventually be chosen to take part in the Governor General History Awards in Ottawa later this year.

Canada’s Historical Society, which publishes Canada’s History magazine (formerly known as The Beaver), is spearheading the Young Citizens program.

“This is the first year we’ve done it, and we really had no idea what we were going to get,” said Deborah Morrison, publisher of Canada’s History. “Now that we’re seeing the videos come online, it’s pretty remarkable.”

Laura Secord is known for warning British forces of an impending American attack that led to an important victory by British and Mohawk forces at the Battle of Beaver Dams.

Isaac Brock was a British army officer responsible for defending Upper Canada, whose victories at Fort Mackinac and Detroit helped thwart the American invasion efforts.

Versoza said she is thankful to have had an opportunity to learn about the two war heroes.

“Laura Secord was very brave, and so was Isaac Brock,” she said. “He was also very intelligent.”

Morrison said physical reminders of the War of 1812 — such as École Laura Secord School and Isaac Brock schools — are valuable ingredients in nation building.

“It’s important that we have these, so that it helps to (remind) us that we are all part of a story. Canada has been shaped by our ancestors and we’re all connected to this in some way,” she said. “It one of the ways that makes us stronger as a country.”