WESTLOCK – On Orange Shirt Day, which is observed annually to recognize the intergenerational impacts of Residential Schools, the schools across Westlock and area have activities planned to celebrate the day.
Orange shirts are worn across Canada on Sept. 30 to create awareness about the harmful effects of residential schools and affirming that Every Child Matters.
“Our schools and students engage in various, ongoing activities throughout the year designed for students to learn about First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities as well as the impacts of Residential Schools,” said Jan Carswell, assistant coordinator of communications at Pembina Hills School Division. “Many students and staff wear orange for Orange Shirt Day as a way to honour and remember what was taken away from Indigenous children over generations and promote the belief that ‘Every Child Matters.’”
Junior high students from Eleanor Hall School will be going to Métis Crossing on Sept. 26 as part of their partnership with Rupertsland Institute where they will be working with a Métis artist and participating in a land-based learning opportunity. The school will also also be having a Treaty 6 and Métis Flag raising ceremony on Sept. 24.
At École Westlock Elementary, students are creating a 'tree mural.’ Grade 5/6 students will be writing down truths and facts about Truth and Reconciliation as part of the tree trunk. Kindergarten to Grade 4 students will be writing out what reconciliation means, what they learned about it and adjectives to describe it on paper leaves to add to the tree.
Students from Westlock (and Barrhead) Outreach Schools are planning to attend a session with Elder Philip Campiou on Oct. 1 where students will go on an Indigenous plant walk, learn how to build a Tipi and cook Bannock over a fire.
At Pembina North Community School, each student will be given a paper T-shirt to decorate that will become a mural in their library for the remainder of the year.
Early Learning students in pre-kindergarten, are participating in residential schoolbook read-alouds or walks and using tiles from Rupertsland Institute's Métis Memories for conversations with students at circle time during Truth and Reconciliation Week.
In addition, principals and school board trustees from Pembina Hills participated in a Métis Memories of Residential Schools Art Mural learning experience with members of the Rupertsland Institute at the beginning of the school year, said Carswell.
“This visual educational resource is designed to highlight Métis residential school survivor experiences and has since been shared with our schools to use.”
