Revelstoke's three elementary schools wove kindness and belonging into the fabric of the tie-dyed tees their students sported this Pink Shirt Day, recognized on Wednesday, Feb. 26, through music, crafts and personal pledges.
At Begbie View Elementary School, students took the anti-bullying message well beyond just a day, with the upper and lower grades spending time throughout January tie-dying pink shirts together in their buddy program.
During the pink-hued morning assembly, Colleen Wall warmed her musically-inclined classes' vocal cords by leading them through a kindness-themed song.
This year's Pink Shirt Day, "we were talking about each student's individual strengths," principal Ariel McDowell said.
Arrow Heights Elementary School also took a proactive approach, folding origami pink shirts and dying real tees in the days leading up so students could spend Feb. 26 showcasing their crafts and focusing on the message.
"Our monthly theme for February is kindness, and the theme for this week is 'think pink,'" principal Pam Mair said, explaining that students were asked to interpret and express this in writing on their origami tees. "On the front, it says their promises for Pink Shirt Day."
Over at Columbia Park Elementary School, inclusion was another important theme. The day began with kindergarten classes crafting a kindness chain, with each student's link graced with messages of encouragement that will line the school corridor for days and weeks after.
"Throughout the day, students were encouraged to perform real acts of caring, such as helping a friend, sharing a smile, or offering to clean up after others," acting principal Tracy Tompkins said by email.
Other classes put their creative talent toward sketching pink shirts filled with anti-bullying slogans and symbols, and filling a bucket with notes of appreciation for their peers and teachers.
"Pink Shirt Day is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about the importance of kindness and inclusivity," Tompkins said. "I'm incredibly proud of how they have embraced these values and made a difference in our school community."
To learn more about Pink Shirt Day, visit .
