Students at Ruth King Elementary School and Spencer Middle School gathered Thursday (Sept. 29) morning to honour and learn more about the survivors and victims of the residential school system.

The events were held to mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day. Happening a day early due to school closures on Sept. 30, the event saw students from both schools gather in a circle on the Ruth King field as a symbol of unity, protection, and inclusion. Drumming, singing, prayer, and poetry performed both by Indigenous community members and students from both schools featured heavily in the ceremony.

B次元官网网址淲e want to have children in our schools realize what happened in residential schools,B次元官网网址� said Ruth King principal Vicki Ives. B次元官网网址淥ur hope for the future is we can all work together to build people up and continue the conversation about what happened.B次元官网网址�

Having students from multiple schools attend helped encourage community building and made it stand out to onlookers with hundreds of children in orange shirts standing together.

B次元官网网址淚 know people talk about it on the news, but some people still donB次元官网网址檛 know what Orange Shirt Day is, and they donB次元官网网址檛 know the significance. I want it to get out into the community.B次元官网网址�

Among the students who presented at ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 event was Brooklynn Barker-Hobbs, a Grade 8 student from Spencer.

B次元官网网址�(Orange Shirt Day) means thinking back on what happened. It really wasnB次元官网网址檛 fair what happened to all the kids who lost their lives at residential schools,B次元官网网址� said Barker-Hobbs. B次元官网网址淲e wear orange shirts to let survivors know we are here for them.B次元官网网址�

Barker-Hobbs said she feels events like this in schools help teach students the importance of supporting Indigenous people and their culture, without non-Indigenous people controlling how they do that.

READ MORE: Powwow set to mark second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Victoria

Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.

Follow us on and and like us on