Image

Bell Park Academic Centre marked Orange Shirt Day on Tuesday, September 29, with an opportunity for students to learn, reflect and take meaningful steps toward reconciliation.

Members of the Auburn Drive High School Indigenous Student Council visited Bell Park to speak with the students about Orange Shirt Day and the importance of honouring Truth and Reconciliation. The students then worked with smaller groups on an activity focused on the idea of planting a seed of reconciliation.

"I am so proud of our Auburn Indigenous Student Union for using their voices to educate, connect, and make a difference in our school community," says Rachel Merrick, Mi'kmaq/Indigenous Student Support Worker for Auburn Drive High. "There is something incredibly powerful about our older students sharing their knowledge, their voices, and their understanding with the next generation. It helps keep these conversations alive and reminds us that learning about Truth and Reconciliation isn’t just about history, it’s about understanding our responsibility to one another today." 

Together, students completed a reflection worksheet and planted sunflower seeds to take home. The activity provided a tangible reminder that reconciliation is a journey that takes time, care, energy and patience — much like growing a plant. A small action, with continued care and attention, can grow into something much bigger.

The collaboration between Auburn Drive and Bell Park is particularly meaningful, as the schools are part of the same family of schools. For many Bell Park students, Auburn Drive will be their high school, making the opportunity to learn from Auburn's Indigenous Student Council especially significant.

“Orange Shirt Day and Truth and Reconciliation are such important opportunities for learning, reflection and understanding. We want to ensure our observances are meaningful and educational for students, and today’s activities were both," says Bell Park Vice Principal Angela MacNeil.

Orange Shirt Day, recognized each year on September 30, provides an opportunity to learn about the history and ongoing impacts of residential schools and to honour Survivors, their families and communities. It also helps create space in our schools for important conversations about truth, reconciliation and our shared responsibility to learn from the past and contribute to a more respectful future.

On September 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we reflect on the experiences of Indigenous Peoples and the lasting impacts of residential schools. In our schools, this work is not limited to a single day. It is part of our ongoing commitment to learning, understanding and building respectful relationships.