CBS student wins Vimy scholarship
By Staff/November 4, 2021
High school student Sera Tulk of Conception Bay South has won the Vimy Pilgrimage Award this year.
The prestigious Canadian Prize is awarded to exceptional students ages 15 to 17 who, by their volunteer work, contribute to the betterment of society. It comes with a one-week educational program, during which recipients learn about the history of the First and Second World Wars and participate in Remembrance ceremonies, while reflecting on the role and legacy of leadership demonstrated by Canada during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
On empathy and remembrance, Sera, who attends Holy Spirit School, has an interesting view.
“Empathy is a virtue. We cannot accurately remember those in the past if we cannot at least try to empathize with them as real people, instead of just words on a page,” she said. “When we take a step back and truly understand what they felt, then we open up a path forward to properly honouring them.”
Sera will participate in a podcast, Beyond The Ridge, in an episode that will be aired later this year. She will talk about Newfoundland’s contribution to the Gallipoli campaign, during the First World War, with two historians.
“We are very glad that we could organize this conversation between Sera, Melanie Ng of the University of Toronto and Professor Bohdan Kordan of the University of Saskatchewan,” said Vimy Foundation spokesperson Guillaume Bouchard Labonté.