Pink Shirt Day recognized locally

By Joan Janzen

The nationally recognized Pink Shirt Day usually occurs on the last Wednesday of February every year; however, this year, that date falls during the Family Week break, so the Ministry of Education declared Wednesday, February 16, 2022, as Pink Shirt Day in Saskatchewan. Pink Shirt Day first began in Nova Scotia in 2007.

Since then, this day has become an important one for empowering students to speak out against bullying. On February 16, Sun West encouraged all students and staff to wear pink and send pictures and videos of students and staff wearing pink or other Pink Shirt Day activities to be posted on the Sun West website and social media.

Although most schools acknowledged the day on Wednesday, Westberry Elementary School and Elizabeth Middle School in Kindersley recognized the day on Friday.

Monique Schommer, secretary at Elizabeth School, explained, saying “Our school is doing it on Friday as we are having a Spirit Day for our Grade 7/8 basketball teams who have advanced to District playoffs.”

In recognition of Pink Shirt Day, students were encouraged to wear pink, practice kindness and take a stand against bullying.

Staff and students at Elizabeth Middle School (left) and Westberry School (right) wore pink shirts on Friday, February 18th, in honour of Pink Day.