By James Bowler

Stop bullying the main message at Arthur Pechey

Apr 1, 2015 | 5:12 PM

Kids at Arthur Pechey Elementary School in Prince Albert had a lot to cheer about Wednesday.

Had they not been inside those yells and screams could probably be heard across Prince Albert as each and every student yelled out against bullying.

“All week actually, I suppose all year, we want to obviously put a huge focus on what a healthy school environment looks like,” said Kimberly Semenchuk, Grade 5 teacher and organizer of the anti-bullying events. “We want a bully-free zone school all the time.”

Semenchuk said during the entire week the Student Leadership Council (SLC) had been involved in anti-bullying activities including making two bulletin boards and filling them with propaganda.

“The first bulletin board we made was called don’t stand by, stand up, stand strong, stand together,” said Semenchuk. “We put our shoes up, and so that signifies we’re standing together.”

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The second bulletin board featured the students’ traced hands, which was meant to signify stop bullying.

“The SLC actually ran a huge lesson on Monday morning, they taught a lesson to the [Grades] K-4 and then a lesson to the [Grades] 5-8,” said Semenchuk. “They really focused and talked about what is a healthy friendship, what is a healthy school, and talked about the things we want to see, feel and hear in a healthy school and bully-free school.”

The events ended up with a major assembly that was co-ordinated and run by the SLC with some help from Semenchuk and vice-principal Dejan Letkeman.

Semenchuk described her feelings about the way the SLC handled the week and assembly as prideful and emotional.

“I’m just really proud of the leadership from our SLC this week,” said Semenchuk. “They were really proud of being able to stand in front of the school and celebrate how wonderful our school is, and really put a stop to bullying.”

Speaking about the anti-bullying campaign SLC president 13-year-old Rowen Green said it’s about showing solidarity in the school.

“We got the whole school to dress up and come as pink, to support non-bullying and to show it doesn’t matter what you wear or what you look like everybody is the same,” said Green. “And we all want to be together as one big school.”

Green said bullying has been an issue in the past in the school and he’s determined to help break it down.

“It’s really important for me to be able to get up in front of the school and tell them that we are together and we are all people of the school and we all want to be one big community,” said Green.

Daryn Dubois, 13, said she’s experienced bullying in the past, but she never let it get her down.

“I was just bullied about who I am and how I look,” said Dubois. “It hurt a lot but I just stood up for myself.”

She added events like Pink Shirt Day have really helped her grow into her own skin and become more confident with who she is, while making friends.

Brooke Andrews, 12, said she was very impressed with the day’s events.

“This school show’s a lot of support for anti-bullying,” said Andrews. “I’ve [been bullied] myself but I’m glad we can raise awareness so that this kind of stuff doesn’t happen.”

She said helping make kids aware of their own actions has helped a lot with bringing down the amount of bullying in the school.

The week-long activities and Wednesday’s big event are all in conjunction with Pink Shirt Day.

jbowler@panow.com

On Twitter: @journalistjim