'Be a buddy, not a bully': Island students participate in Pink Shirt Day

Students and teachers Island-wide wore pink shirts Wednesday to raise awareness about bullying — and promote friendship and kindness.

Pink Shirt Day, which happens every year on Feb. 27, originated at a Nova Scotia school more than a decade ago. It was organized by two students after a boy was bullied for wearing a pink shirt.

At St. Jean Elementary in Charlottetown, students marked the day by creating anti-bullying displays throughout the school.

Daniel Bastion, a Grade 6 student, said he knows what it's like to be bullied — and he's glad to be part of a day to raise awareness about it.

"It wasn't nice, I didn't feel well, I had to tell my parents but it wasn't easy to tell them because I felt like if I did I would get bullied more," he said.

Daniel said bringing attention to the bullying helped put a stop to it. But he said Pink Shirt Day is a good reminder for students to look out for one another.

"I feel like it's important to stand up to bullying and stop the people who are bullying inside schools, because it's not nice or cool at all, sometimes people think it's cool but it's really not," Daniel said.     

His classmate Reagan Corney said she's experienced bullying as well — and believes Pink Shirt Day promotes solidarity.

'Be a buddy, not a bully'

"It's a way to show kids that you should be a buddy and not a bully," Reagan said.

She said she's also been in the position of having to intervene when someone is being bullied — and that it's important to do so, even if it's difficult.

"When you know that you did something it feels a lot nicer than knowing someone was bullied and you didn't do something," she said.

"When you help someone it's more like — oh, I did something good today."   

Pink Shirt Day is now celebrated across Canada and around the globe. Organizers say last year, over 180 countries took part.   

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