ESTEVAN - It might have been a week early, but students in local schools participated in Pink Shirt Day initiatives on Feb. 16.
Pleasantdale School principal Michelle Smart said the school’s leadership team came up with some activities this year. They couldn’t get together for the Pink Shirt Day activities like they could before the COVID-19 pandemic, so the team members planned some different activities for each classroom.
“They posted some videos for us to watch and then we did some activities,” said Smart. “There was a lot of kindness notes flying around the school and appearing on the doorways.”
They built a big Kindness Tree in the lobby. It grew as the day went on, with leaves, messages and ideas for kind things they could do.
“It looks really awesome,” said Smart. “It stands out. We … have a more artistic teacher than me, so her and a couple of students drew out the base tree during our leadership time, and then hung it up.”
Then it was up to the teachers to decide what they wanted to add.
Many were wearing pink shirts, but Smart missed seeing them all come together for a big group photo. She was happy to visit each classroom to see them wearing pink shirts.
Hillcrest School principal Kristy Johnson said they have focused on Courage, Kindness and Inclusion as themes for the month of February. They are participating in the One Book One School initiative, in which all families received a copy of R.J. Palacho’s book Wonder, about a boy with a genetic disorder, treacher Collins syndrome, who is trying to fit in.
Johnson said kids have engaged in important conversations about bullying, kindness, inclusion and courage.
Hillcrest is talking about courage as part of the seven sacred teachings.
“They’ve connected their teachings to Pink Shirt Day and discussed courageous acts in standing up to bullying and the courage to be yourself, as they have learned through the characters in the book Wonder,” said Johnson.
During February, many students participated in a Kindness Bingo Challenge. They have helped to spread kindness throughout the school and community through their actions, and they wrote about Courage.
The Grade 7/8 leadership club made cupcakes for kindness, a photo display with hearts for kindness was created, and staff and many students wore pink shirts on Feb. 16
Pink Shirt Day is on Feb. 23 this year, but schools observed a week early because of the annual winter break.
