From left to right: Students Evan, Marisa, Fern and Ruby send a message of kindness on Pink Shirt Day.

Young Entrepreneur Raises Funds for Bullying Prevention

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2022

F

or Pink Shirt Day this year, six-year-old Marisa, a student in grade 1 at J.L. Mitchener Public School in Cayuga, decided to use her creative talents to help stamp out bullying. Marisa thought about easy, visual ways to get her message across, and combined her emerging talents in screen printing and garment dye to create Kindness Club, an online business selling t-shirts that spread the word. As Pink Shirt Day approached, the school council at J.L. Mitchener placed a wholesale order of t-shirts, with a portion of the proceeds going towards two causes dedicated to kindness: Dare to Care, a Canadian organization that develops bullying prevention resources and programs, and the school’s own playground renovation project, a physical space to enhance the school’s culture of belonging by providing a fun place to foster friendship. 

Staff members Amy Klassen and Erin Jenkins helped organize the school’s Pink Shirt Day campaign this year, and students, donning their Kindness Club threads, took part in activities to support learning around bullying prevention. The school council and the Spirit Committee work all year to increase school spirit and raise awareness on important topics through events such as Pink Shirt Day. The Pink Shirt Day spirit at the school aligns with Grand Erie’s multi-year strategic plan, which aims to build a culture of belonging to support equitable, inclusive and responsive environments for each and every learner.