They were united in pink.
Students and staff at schools around the region, including those at Innisfail Middle School, wore the colour pink on Feb. 24 to help share the important message behind Pink Shirt Day, an annual Canada-wide anti-bullying initiative. Staff and elected municipal officials even wore pink at town hall.
“I've never really liked people being treated unfairly,” said Grade 8 student Connor Dickson about why he was wearing pink that day. “We can help raise awareness about anti-bullying (by wearing a pink shirt) and more people will know about it.”
Fellow student Lily Faulkner said she has witnessed bullying and is glad she can help put a stop to it.
“Some people will just pick on you for not fitting in with everyone,” said Faulkner, noting how important days like Pink Shirt Day are and what students her age can do to stand up to bullying today.
“We can do little things like wearing pink clothing on these types of days and by participating, like posting a picture on social media and telling people why you think that it's important. No one likes being bullied,” she added. “Wearing a pink shirt is an easy way to say you support anti-bullying and it shouldn't be happening.”
Mike Walsh, a Grade 8 teacher at the middle school, pointed out this year's theme for Pink Shirt Day, ‘Kindness is one size fits all' and said it's the little things that can have the biggest impact for students.
“The initiative is about everyone being the same. There's no differences between kids, no matter what kind of background they have or where they come from,” said Walsh.
“It's often the little things that make the biggest difference. Whether it's picking up books off the floor for someone, or talking to someone you don't normally talk to,” said Walsh. “It's those things that go a long way for kids.”
Lily Faulkner
"Wearing a pink shirt is an easy way to say you support anti-bullying and it shouldn't be happening."
