Hatter shows SPIRIT, places second in VE Day speech competition

Her speech, which you can read in full below, is titled Why V-E Day teaches Albertans we can be victorious despite our circumstances.

Even though there are so many things going on around us, no one is alone in it said Cooper.

“War isn’t easy, and freedom isn’t free. Our veterans taught us that.  We celebrate Victory in Europe Day because, in hard times, we remember that if our veterans can fight and overcome, so can we,” reads a line from her speech. 

One piece of history that Jerusalem learned and has stuck with her is Alberta’s involvement in training pilots during the war.

“I had no idea that Alberta had built 35 school flight training facilities to help out with the war. I thought that was really cool,” she said. “There’s so many things I had no idea about and there’s a lot of life lessons in the whole thing. All countries worked together to win the war and it was super cool to see that.”

Jerusalem has been in air cadets since January and looks forward to the programming resuming when allowed.

The Grade 7 student at Medicine Hat Christian School won $500 in the contest, which she’ll put toward buying a moped.

The SPIRIT of Victory contest celebration was hosted by Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell and the History and Heroes Foundation.

Jerusalem Cooper’s speech:

75 Years Later

Why V-E Day teaches Albertans we can be victorious despite our circumstances

My name’s Cadet Cooper.  It’s the first time in my life when I’m regularly called by my last name.  But everytime I hear it, I’m reminded of what my dad always says, “Cooper’s don’t quit.”  Once you commit, you never quit.  

Albertans are getting beaten down, right now.  There’s all kinds of BIG things going on around us like the deaths from the coronavirus, huge job losses, the hurting oil and gas industry and failing economy. It all just starts piling up higher and higher, and people are starting to fall beneath all the pressure. If there was ever a time when Albertans needed a reminder of what victory means and what it is to live a spirited life, one with sportsmanship, perseverance, integrity, resilience, inspiration and teamwork, NOW is that time.

Now, more than ever, we need to persevere through the hard times.  Perseverance is being determined and able to overcome obstacles when it is hard. 

On May 8, we celebrate V-E Day, and even though it happened 75 years ago, 63 years before I was even born, it’s still important to celebrate and honour those who made the sacrifice for our freedom.  War isn’t easy, and freedom isn’t free.  Our veterans taught us that.  We celebrate Victory in Europe Day because, in hard times, we remember that if our veterans can fight and overcome, so can we.  We need a reminder of victory in times passed so we can have victory in our own times. We either remember History, or we’re bound to repeat it.  I choose to remember.

If one generation can win victory, we can too.  

Not only does V-E Day teach us about perseverance, it teaches us teamwork.  And as Canadians, we don’t have to look very far for great examples of teamwork.  

Canada understands working together for good.  The British Commonwealth Air Training Program was one of Canada’s significant contributions to the Second World War.  Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain also contributed, but of the nearly 131,000 aircrew members that were trained by the end of World War Two, almost 73,000 of those were trained in Canada. That means that Canada produced more than 50% of the crew members!  That’s teamwork.  That’s the SPIRIT of Canada who goes the extra mile, who does more than what is expected or asked of Her.  All of Canada – including Alberta – put our back into the war effort in order to do our part for victory. 

Alberta had about thirty-five school training facilities as part of the Air Training Program,  including Bombing and Gunnery schools, Aircrew training facilities, Relief Landing Fields, and more.  Even in Southeastern Alberta, my little hometown, Medicine Hat, built a Service Flying Training School during the Second World War.  And, Lethbridge, too, built a bombing and gunnery school.  Now it’s the fourth largest city in Alberta.  Teamwork has the power to last for generations.  

I have wanted to be a pilot since I was much littler than I am now, and I’m pretty little.  Stories like these of our small communities doing big things decades ago inspires me even today.

Both civilians and veterans persevered through the pain, worked together to stick it out and braved the horrors of war, then in the end, they inspired so many. They set a great example for us Albertans.  

We need to stand together and persevere through our own challenges today.   We remember that taste of victory, that small feeling of achievement.  We can overcome these obstacles through this tough year if we, not only keep that SPIRIT in mind, but act with SPIRIT. 

Hold tight to our resilience in the face of adversity, and if anyone feels discouraged, remember, we are all working together as a team to get through this.  Little things can go a long way, so by doing little things that help our community, we can inspire others. As Albertans, we can go the extra mile, do more than expected.  Treat each other with respect and build each other up.  People of integrity spark happiness in the hearts of those who are close to falling apart.  These little victories show people who we are.  And that’s worth remembering!

by Chris Brown

Hatter shows SPIRIT, places second in VE Day speech competition

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