For Year 9, Pink Shirt Day was filled with laughter, fun and the willingness to accept each other! This year, the Year 9s really wanted to show our support for Bullying Free week. Many classes found their inner competitive side and participated in decorating their classes to the best of their ability. Since the theme was being an upstander, there were kind messages everywhere and a video was created by the Year 9 well-being ambassadors to teach each other about standing up to bullies.
It was a lot of fun decorating the classes as our competitive sides were released. Everyone wanted the spot of best homeroom! We spent lunchtimes and homeroom times filling our classroom with pink, positive decorations and messages. The main goal was to promote each other to accept our differences and stand up if someone else is being bullied. A lot of time and effort was put into making our classrooms as pink as we could. In 9LIS, it sure was chaotic! There were streamers flying everywhere, flower petals spread across the floor, pink table clothes covering tables and windows, balloons and sticky notes covered with positive unique messages and last of all there were people wearing pink from top to bottom! The anti-bullying message really was conveyed through the colour pink!
Encouraging everyone to be an upstander was shown through a video that was made by the Year 9 well-being ambassadors. Two students from each Year 9 homeroom class were chosen to be a part of this video. The storyline was based off classroom scenarios and showed how each student could be an upstander. Sometimes simply saying – ‘Hey, you can’t treat people like that’ – can make a difference. We want to promote that EVERYONE can make a difference.
We want a bully-free environment and a place where kids feel safe to express themselves. Pink Shirt Day was a chance to spread the word. Speak up. Stand Together. And Stop BULLYING! Everyone is different. That makes everyone unique. Let’s focus on the positive not just for the day but for the rest of our lives!
Jennifer Zeng
