CLASSIFIEDSADVERTISINGSPECIAL ISSUESONLINE SPORTSOBITUARIESNORTHERN JOBSTENDERS

NNSL Photo/Graphic


Canadian North

Home page text size buttonsbigger textsmall textText size Email this articleE-mail this page

Invoking the power of pink
Anti-bullying day at Jean Wetrade Gameti School

Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Published Monday, March 17, 2014

GAMETI/RAE LAKES
When it comes to spreading anti-bullying messages, it's important to make sure audiences understand exactly what bullying is, says a teacher at Jean Wetrade Gameti School.

NNSL photo/graphic

Valerie Takazo, student at Jean Wetrade Gameti School, shows off her pink nails as part of Anti-Bullying Day at the school on Feb. 26. - photo courtesy of Heather O'Neill

Shannon Longtin was the main organizer for the activities that took place leading up to and including the school's anti-bullying day, which was held on Feb. 26.

Longtin said sometimes, students and adults aren't aware of what can be considered bullying behaviour.

"There are a lot of misconceptions of it," she said. "A lot of the kids thought that bullying just had to do with physical bullying, and that's not the case."

Longtin said she believed it was important for students to learn about other forms of bullying, such as name-calling, both in person and online.

"I've noticed that a lot of people and a lot of students just don't understand the types of bullying out there, a lot of them see it as a physical thing," she said. "But there is cyber bullying - a lot of people aren't sure what crosses the line of bullying."

In order to make sure all students understood what bullying means, Longtin organized a series of events leading up to the school's official anti-bullying day.

A few weeks leading up to the event, students in Career and Technology Studies did on-camera interviews with students about bullying.

Students were asked what they would say to a bully and what they would say to someone who was a victim.

Longtin said some of their answers surprised her.

Students in younger grades often turned the question back around, saying that they would directly ask the bully why he or she was picking on someone.

"A lot of the younger students asked back, 'why would you bully someone?' as opposed to saying, 'stop bullying'," Longtin said. "That was interesting to get that perspective on it."

Longtin said she edited the clips and put together a video, which was presented during a school assembly on anti-bullying day.

The clips were also used to determine the winner of the Stand Up Contest, which Longtin created to encourage students to really think about how to confront someone who is harassing others.

The two winners received pink iPods.

Grade 8 student Tyreisha Apples was one of the winners. She said her message was about how people who have a lot of anger sometimes take that anger out on others.

"You can't take all your anger out on someone," she said.

On Feb. 25, Longtin also organized activities at the local library to encourage parents and students to learn more about bullying and ways they can help.

Participants read books with anti-bullying messages and did crafts together, such as painting their nails pink and making bracelets using pink duct tape.

Pink became the official colour of anti-bullying in 2007 after two Nova Scotia students stood up for a classmate who was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. The pair decided to ask every student to wear pink shirts to stand up to the bullies and the idea caught on.

Now, schools around the world encourage students and staff to wear pink as part of their anti-bullying campaigns.

Longtin said pink was a major theme at Jean Wetrade Gameti School's events, including encouraging both male and female students to wear the colour.

"It was just great to see so many of the male students stood up and took part in it," she said.

Pink smoothies and fruit such as watermelon were served during the school's morning breakfast program and Longtin said positive messages were attached to each smoothie straw.

"Every cup had a different message on it," she said.

Students were also given the opportunity to write their own encouraging messages and inspirational quotes on a banner, titled the Wall of Acceptance, which was put up in the school.

Longtin said activities were geared toward specific grade levels, such as having students in grades 3 to 5 read the book Dandelion, authored by Galvin Scott Davis. Students read the book then participated in a craft where they made their own dandelions.

Kindergarten to Grade 2 students made their own bumblebees during a "Be a Buddy not a Bully" workshop while older students watched the documentary, Bully.

The day finished with a wrap-up assembly.

Apples said she now knows exactly what she would do if she saw someone else being picked on. She said sometimes, speaking up can be the best way to prevent someone from bullying others.

"I would talk to them about it and try to stop it," she said.

E-mailWe welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.