It was Pink Day at Dr. Brass School last Wednesday.
In 2007, a Grade 9 student in Cambridge, N.S. was bullied by classmates for wearing a pink shirt to school. Taking notice, two Grade 12 students named Travis Price and David Shepherd rallied their friends to send a message to the bullies. The next day the halls were filled with students in pink t-shirts. This was the beginning of Pink Day.
Their actions sparked a world-wide movement shedding light on the issues surrounding bullying and inspiring others to 鈥楤e Someone鈥檚 Hero鈥� by speaking up when they see bullying happening.
Since then, over 233,000 people in Saskatchewan have participated in Red Cross Pink Day celebrations, and that included Dr. Brass students who listened to a presentation by Saskatchewan Roughrider Spencer Moore.
鈥淚 go to schools all across Saskatchewan,鈥� he told students, adding he has a very simple message 鈥渂e kind to one another.鈥�
Moore said through the presentations he and other Roughriders make through the Red Cross they look to build 鈥減ositive happy relationships鈥� and to help inspire youth not to bully one another.
Moore read a story to the youngest students which focused on the importance of respecting others.
鈥淒on鈥檛 get your pleasure from my pain,鈥� he read. 鈥溾�� You don鈥檛 have to be my friend, but is it too much to ask not to laugh at me.鈥�
Moore said 鈥渨e鈥檙e all different,鈥� and we must respect those difference. 鈥淚 think that it鈥檚 awesome we鈥檙e all different 鈥� I think life would be very boring if everybody was the same.
鈥淚t鈥檚 OK to be different.鈥�
Once you accept differences you 鈥渞espect others for being who they are,鈥� offered Moore. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to be best friends with everybody but you should respect everybody.鈥�
Moore said when he arrived in Regina to play for the Roughriders it was a big step.
鈥淚 was sad, scared, shy, nervous, but also excited,鈥� he said, but added he found the locker room a great place right from the start. 鈥淭he first thing I noticed was the respect everybody had for each other.鈥�
Moore said it is also important to help others when you can.
鈥淪omething we say at the Red Cross is to be someone鈥檚 hero,鈥� he said.
Moore said everybody has power and you can use that power in a positive fashion by 鈥渉elping out if somebody needs help 鈥� Help someone when you see others needing help.鈥� He added, 鈥渋t鈥檚 important to use power for positive things.鈥�
When you use power the wrong way it becomes bullying, said Moore.
鈥淏ullying is an issue across the whole world,鈥� he said, adding it is up to everyone to work toward stopping it.
鈥淲e need you to take on the role of stopping bullying,鈥� said Moore.
Moore said there are different types of bullying youth can face, including physical, verbal, cyber and social, and it鈥檚 important youth know what each is. When you know what bullying is happening you can help those facing it deal with by getting help.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very important you help yourself, or other people,鈥� said Moore, adding when facing bullying the first step is to look to a trusted adult, teacher, parent, sibling for help.聽
