On February 26th, St. Georges partook in the annual Pink Shirt Day; a day focused on rising up and raising awareness against bullying. Pink Shirt Day originated in Nova Scotia when a 9th grade boy was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. In response, a group of teenage boys organized a ‘pink protest’ where they showed up to school in their own pink wear to stand against social norms.

On the Friday, Saints boys arrived sporting their sharpest pink gear; students were permitted to replace their school uniform with various articles of pink clothing articles. Those who were lacking in the pink department, however, were gifted with an annual ‘Take a Stand’ shirt to compensate.

The day featured a special morning assembly focused around the issue of bullying and the various methods of involvement available to the student body. Most notable among the series of announcements and speakers stood Jack Ryan (12), St. George’s co-captain of boarding, who spoke to his personal experiences as he grew up in the USA and eventually came to school in Canada. The day was overall positively received and has embedded itself as an integral day in school schedules across Canada.

Jason Qu (11), when asked what we can do to ‘take a stand’ against bullying, spoke to “looking out for our boys when they’re getting bullied.” He proceeded to explain that nothing looks “more lame than when everyone is against it, and that’s what we need to do – we need to make bullying and harassment seem like what they are – stupid and unacceptable acts of ugliness that have no place in our community. Awareness in the form of everyday action and examples in the form of shifting attitudes is crucial.”

For more information regarding Pink Shirt Day, check out this website.