"BE A buddy, not a bully" echoed through the streets as Parkside students took a walk down past several schools to the school board office as part of Pink Shirt Day, also called Anti-Bullying Day, this morning.
Wearing pink t-shirts, the symbol of Anti-Bullying Day, students took to the chilly weather to walk from Parkside school past Veritas, Caledonia and Skeena Junior schools to the school board office where they congregated before crossing Hwy 16 on their way back toward town.
Some students had written anti-bullying slogans on their shirts, some added a pink feather boa to their outfit, held pink balloons or even put pink t-shirts on their dogs who walked with them.
Staff at the school board building came out to see the students and wave at them.
The students and teachers were accompanied by two RCMP officers who have worked with the school on anti-bullying workshops in the past.
Parkside's principal Louise Ormerod estimated 100 students were participating in the walk.
“The staff and students decided to do this to show the community that we are in support of Anti-Bullying Day,” she said.
Superintendent for the Coast Mountain school district, Nancy Wells, and Terrace trustee Art Erasmus also participated.
Wells even joined in by wearing a pink anti-bullying t-shirt.
Anti-Bullying Day started after a boy at a school got bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. Soon the trend began to wear a pink shirt on this day to show support for no bullying.