There will be no Remembrance Day assembly at Amherst Regional High School next week — unless the students can pull together a last-minute commemoration.

The Nova Scotia high school experienced what the school board is calling "unfortunate circumstances" wherein no teachers were able to volunteer to organize the annual assembly.

"They're a large school and like every school, they're busy with the day-to-day things that they do," says Debbie Buott-Matheson, a spokeswoman for the Chignecto-Central Regional School Board.

"Having someone actually be able to have the time to come forward to organize it — it was something that didn't happen this year."

Student steps up

Titus Gallagher, a grade 11 student at ARHS, had been hoping to participate in the Remembrance Day ceremony. He plays the trumpet and approached his music teacher Monday to ask if he could play the Last Post. That's when he found out there was no ceremony planned.

Gallagher sprang into action, contacting the Royal Canadian Legion, the RCMP and others to have them participate in a ceremony he was organizing, with his school's blessing.

"As of right now," Gallagher says, "I have a plan for how the ceremony will play out, as well as a few of the people that will be attending."

Gallagher will meet with the school's principal, Pamela Hoar, Thursday to determine whether he has a solid enough plan for the school to consider moving forward in hosting the Remembrance Day assembly.

"I think for students to want to undertake that really shows what Remembrance Day means to them," says Buott-Matheson. "As a school board, I think that means a lot."

Holocaust survivor speaks to students

It's not clear yet if the last-minute plans will come together. Either way, Buott-Matheson says Monday's classes at ARHS will focus on Canadians in conflict with "full-day of remembrance."

The school will hold a moment of silence at 11 a.m. Last week, the grade 11 and 12 students met with Holocaust survivor Philip Riteman, and their discussion was videotaped.

On Monday, it will be shown to the grade 9 and 10 students as part of the day's curriculum.