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Finding TreasuresEvery artifact has a story, and the stories that can be told have power and meaning. The students of New Richmond High School, Quebec discovered that history is alive all around us when they participated in the Finding Treasures project. Students from Grade 3 through to Grade 8 were challenged to find a military treasure of their own to bring to school for a show and tell. Students were subsequently challenged to do a piece of writing on their treasure. Many of the treasures and written submissions are included in the following pages.
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Jurney Lavoie-Condo shows her 'treasure'.2 October 2011
New Richmond High School, New Richmond, Quebec Canada
Credits:Jurney Lavoie-Condo, Grade 4, NRHS
Gordon Dell (History Teacher, NRHS)
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Jurney Lavoie-Condo brought her Uncle Travis Condo's medals to school as her military treasure. Both Jurney and Travis hail from the Mi'kmaq community of Gesgapegiag.My Treasure
In 2004 Travis Condo Johnson joined the US Marines. In 2006 he was injured and was given the purple heart.
Travis Condo Johnson was given four different medals - the purple heart for getting injured, the second for helping in the war, the third for being a good buddy to everyone and the fourth one I forgot.
In Iraq Travis Condo Johnson was injured. He was lucky to be back and not a prisoner.
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Travis Condo's Medals21st Century, Circa 2002
Gesgapegiag, Quebec
Credits:Jurney Lavoie-Condo, Grade 4, NRHS
Gordon Dell (History Teacher, NRHS)
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Aidan Condo's Treasure - Boots21st Century, Circa 2002
Gesgapegiag, Quebec
Credits:Aidan Condo, Grade 5, NRHS
Gordon Dell (History Teacher, NRHS)
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Aidan Condo brought in his Uncle Travis Condo's boots, helmet and papers as his military treasure. Travis Condo, of Gesgapegiag, Quebec, joined the United States Marines in 2001 when he was just seventeen years old. He excelled in his training and was awarded a medal for decoding systems. After completing his training, Travis was shipped overseas to Iraq. On April 1st his unit came under attack and Travis was seriously wounded, while one of his fellow Marines was killed. The bullet that hit Travis went through his arm and penetrated his chest. He was quickly transferred first to Bagdad, then to Germany, and finally to California to receive the medical attention he required. He recovered from his injuries.7
Aidan Condo's Treasure - CFLCC Rules for Use of Force Card21st Century, Circa 2002
Gesgapegiag, Quebec
Credits:Aidan Condo, Grade 5, NRHS
Gordon Dell (History Teacher, NRHS)
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Aidan Condo's Treasure - Helmet and Goggles21st Century, Circa 2002
Gesgapegiag, Quebec
Credits:Aidan Condo, Grade 5, NRHS
Gordon Dell (History Teacher, NRHS)
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Nicholas Geraghty poses with his 'treasure'.2 October 2011
New Richmond High School, New Richmond, Quebec Canada
Credits:Nicholas Geraghty, Grade 4, NRHS
Gordon Dell (History Teacher, NRHS)
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Nicholas Geraghty brought in a gas mask as his treasure.11
Gas Mask20th Century
Cascapedia-St.Jules, Quebec, Canada
Credits:Nicholas Geraghty, Grade 4, NRHS
Gordon Dell (History Teacher, NRHS
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These medals and the dead soldiers penny that follow were awarded to John Melvin Vicaire, a native of the Mi'kmaq community of Gesgapegiag who served and died in the First World War. These treasures were brought in by Desmond Martin-Jerome, one of John Vicaire's descendants. Below is the biography Desmond wrote:John Vicaire
John Vicaire was born on January 13, 1896 and he is my great-great-great uncle. He was very tall at 6 feet, 7inches. His eyes were brown and his hair black. He entered the army when he was only 17 years old and spent his first year training. He also started working as a privateer during his training. When the war began, he was in the 26th battalion. He also got some medals for bravery and courage. It is bad enough that he died December 30, 1915 by suffering three gun shot wounds. To this day his body still remains at the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension in France and like every person that died in World War I, he earned a medal to remember him by.
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John Vicaire's MedalsWorld War I, 1914-1918
Gesgapegiag, Quebec
Credits:Desmond Jerome-Martin, Grade 7, NRHS
Gordon Dell (History Teacher, NRHS)
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John Melvin VicaireJohn Melvin Vicaire
Served in World War I
He was really brave
And many medals he won.
He was doing really great,
In the war that he served,
But died on December 30th, 1915.
To this day,
His body still remains,
At the cemetery in France,
Where he and the other soldiers
Will be honoured because
Of their bravery.
Even though he died,
We will remember him forever,
In the war he fought
To protect his homeland.
By Desmond Jerome-Martin, Grade 7, New Richmond High School
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