What is the No Stone Left Alone program?
No Stone Left Alone (NSLA) provides students with an authentic leadership experience centered around a uniquely moving, hands-on act of remembrance - laying a poppy at the headstones of veterans.
This personal act signals respect and gratitude for our fallen military veterans, while honouring living veterans, serving members and their families.
Not an educator? No problem.
While educators and students do make up a large number of our participants, we welcome ALL individuals and groups who would like to join us by holding events to honour the veterans at rest in their communities.
We do encourage the engagement of youth wherever possible, to help ensure ongoing remembrance. Whether one or two young people taking part with their family, or whole classes attending through their schools, we are dedicated to making a lasting connection between youth and remembrance. So educator or not, please don’t hesitate to get involved by registering here.
How does it work?
No Stone Left Alone provides resources and support to guide educators, students and other individuals in organizing and holding their own commemorative events at a cemetery in their community.
These events can be small and simple, or expanded to engage the wider community.
Organizers develop their own commemorations, and optionally incorporate activities from NSLA’s in-depth teaching and learning resources to expand their experience into the classroom and beyond the event itself.
After the commemorations, youth are asked to reflect on the experience and to share their insights and reactions with NSLA through hand written letters and original artwork. See a selection of these works from past participants here.
EXPLORE OUR GALLERY to see what an NSLA event could look like in your community.
What do students get out of the NSLA experience?
By participating in a No Stone Left Alone remembrance event, students strengthen their values of respect, leadership, citizenship, responsibility and gratitude. They also have the opportunity to enrich their community, and contribute to a national effort that makes a real difference.
A unique, hands-on experience
Being IN the cemetery makes all the difference. Students will feel the history around them and connect more deeply with the acts they are performing, and why.
Inspires ongoing learning
Youth are inspired to learn even more about the men and women who they honour, and the circumstances and environments in which they lived and died.Builds leadership and connection with community
Youth grow their leadership skills and gain a perspective on how they can make an impact in their world.An opportunity to reflect on their experience
Participants are expected to provide feedback after the event; reflections on what the event meant to them. This allows them to process the experience, strengthening the connections to their classroom learning. A sample of these are selected and shared here.
Learn more about participating in a NSLA event, and why it’s important, from our partners in the Canadian Armed Forces. Presented by Brigadier-General (Ret'd) Stephen Lacroix, CD. Former Commander, 3rd Canadian Division.