If only more schools would follow in the footsteps of Olds High School and hold an event like Diversity Day.
On April 3, students and staff at the school had a chance to meet people from different cultures and backgrounds in a classroom setting as more than a dozen speakers shared their stories and view on subjects such as living with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, the challenges of being homeless or what it's like being gay in high school.
The point of the day, which happens at the school every two years since OHS is part of a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization network of schools promoting cultural inclusion, was to let students listen to someone they may have prejudged in the past to gain understanding and appreciation of their experiences.
Other themes covered during the day included human rights, social justice, First Nations issues and sustainability.
To sit in on some of the classrooms during Diversity Day was a refreshing experience as students were actually engaged in the topics being presented.
They asked questions and were clearly expressing genuine emotion as they heard difficult stories about people experiencing bullying, oppression and bigotry in their lives.
In speaking to some of the students following the presentations, many said what they learned opened their eyes to the struggles many in minority communities face on a daily basis.
Most said they would go home that day with a new understanding for people they may not normally connect with.
If every school were to adopt a program such as Diversity Day, it's likely there would be less bullying and taunting in the hallways and change rooms of our schools.
If students could sit down in an intimate and honest setting with those who are often marginalized, maybe more understanding and acceptance would blossom and we'd see fewer events such as school shootings or youth suicides.
So kudos to Olds High School for hosting Diversity Day.
One day, hopefully, such an event won't even be needed.
