Grade 6 Vincent Massey students Finn Pasco, left, and Addison Schneider in front of some supportive anti-bullying messages at the school. (Photo Courtesy Derek Brade)

By Chris Brown

Pink Shirt Day

Students standing up against bullying

Feb 16, 2022 | 3:40 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Schools in our community were awash in shades of pink as students and adults marked Pink Shirt Day.

Started in 2007 in Nova Scotia as a student-led response to the bullying of a fellow student, the day has been recognized in Medicine Hat for years.

Vincent Massey School is one of the schools proud to celebrate diversity and stand up against bullying.

They strive to do that every day through the Cool to Care Program but this day puts more focus on it.

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“I think it’s a great thing that the school cares and all these kids care about kindness and trying to stop bullying,” says Grade 6 student Addison Schneider. “And I think that the Cool to Care program is amazing too so that like kids can realize if I care more maybe people will realize caring’s a good thing if I care too.”

The walls of the school are adorned with pink paper shirts with supportive and inspiring messages written on them.

Students at the school are excited to show support for those being bullied and Finn Pasco, also in Grade 6, has tips on how to do that.

“You should try to like tell a trusted adult or like standup for the person speak up or support the person that’s being bullied, he says. “You can tell them that they (the bully) don’t mean it or you can be kind to them and like stand with them, kind of.”

The official Pink Shirt Day is on Feb. 23, but schools marked it a week early because there are no classes next week.