North Battleford high schools recognize Orange Shirt Day

“I think this is the most participation we’ve ever had from students for Orange Shirt Day,” Bernier said. “And because at the end of every month we also have Metis Ribbon Shirt/Ribbon Skirt Day, that tied into today too, so there was a number of ribbon shirts and ribbon skirts the students were wearing as well.”

Students and staff at NBCHS gather outside the high school for a group picture in their orange shirts and ribbon skirts/shirts. (Submitted photo/Carla Bernier)

In the classrooms, teachers were provided with resources for activities related to the day that took place throughout much of the week.

Bernier said it’s something that speaks to their core values as a school.

“Every year we are working hard ensuring First Nations, Metis, and Inuit, students feel comfortable in our building and feel it’s a place they can connect,” Bernier said.

“If we do well with building relationships and providing an environment where they want to come, our grad rates are going to [continue to] increase because of it, and our attendance is going to increase because of it.”

JPII Collegiate

Students at John Paul II Collegiate opened the day with a special prayer in the morning, followed by some videos briefly going over the significance of Orange Shirt Day and what it represents.

Each classroom was then given paper cutout orange shirts with the prompt, ‘Every child should feel _____ at school.’

“Some people wrote loved, invited, welcomed, safe, lots of really great things,” teacher, Dee-Jaye Stebanuk said.

“We put them up on the wall in our front [loby] area, along with a piece of art we’re going to hang permanently up in the school where students had a chance to sign names of those connected and impacted by residential schools.”

Students at JPII pictured in front of the Orange Shirt Day wall, mentioned above. (Submitted photo Dee-Jaye Stebanuk)

The day then wrapped up with an optional smudge ceremony.

Stebanuk said it was a good day.

“For some of the students this directly impacts who they are in their daily lives so we obviously want to recognize the significance of that, and for others, they may not understand why we’re doing the Orange Shirt Day and the whole Truth and Reconciliation piece of it, so it’s a chance to teach about that a bit,” she said.

Sakewew High School

At Sakewew High School, the school was visited by a pair of elder knowledge keepers who spoke at an assembly, including Chief of Little Pine Cree Nation, Wayne Semaganis, and Marveena Albert.

The students then went for a walk just east of the school to the site where the old Indian Hospital stood. There, Drum and Song coach, Dale Weenonis led the students in an honour song with a hand drum.

Staff and students from Sakewew High School on Orange Shirt Day. (Submitted photo/Aron Albert)

Cultural Coordinator at Sakewew High School, Aron Albert said it was special to have the elders on hand to be able to speak to the youth.

“I’m very grateful for still having a number of our knowledge keepers present and available for today for their oral history and some of the written history they were able to share,” Albert said. “Our youth today are learning more about where we have come from and what we are fortunate to have today still.”

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

North Battleford high schools recognize Orange Shirt Day

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