Girls make a point with pink

PIC CAP: Whangarei Girls’ High School students with Margie Crawford from YWCA, from left: Michelle Shortland, 17, Ashley Corbett, 17, Nature Walker, 14, Phobe Hana 14 and youth mentor Reena Toby, have organised a Pink Shirt Day during Youth Week to promote the anti-bullying message. A flood of pink will soon invade Whangarei with an important message.

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Whangarei Leader

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A flood of pink will soon invade Whangarei with an important message.

The Y-Dub club of Whangarei Girls' High School students is getting ready to push the anti-bullying message across in a way Whangarei has never seen before.

The Y-Dub club is an informal group for young women in secondary school who meet each week and learn different skills and activities run through the Whangarei YWCA.

YWCA youth co-ordinator Margie Crawford says the Girls High club came up with the idea to hold a Pink Shirt Day with a anti-bullying message at their school during Youth Week – May 22 to 30.

Pink Shirt Day started in Canada where teenage friends organised a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy of a grade 9 boy who was being bullied. They bought 50 pink shirts and stood in the foyer handing them out to classmates. As the bully walked in the look on his face spoke volumes and showed the impact they had made. He was never heard from again.

Today Pink Shirt Day is an international event usually held on April 28.

"It is a really cool message because the kids were standing up for their friend," says Ms Crawford.

The Girls High students are also putting on a week of anti-bullying events including concerts and competitions.

Plus they are holding a pledge where students will have the opportunity to write a message about bullying and sign it with their hand print which will be displayed at the school.

Then on Friday, May 28, the entire school will be encouraged to wear a pink shirt and flood on to the field for a group photo to mark the event.

Michelle Shortland, 17, says it is about getting the whole school involved and spreading the message to other schools and the community.

"Bullying happens in schools, at home and in the community," says Michelle. "It is great to get involved and get the message out there."

The aim is to make Pink Shirt Day an annual event held each Youth Week and for it to be adopted by other Whangarei Schools.

Youth Week has been an annual event for more than 10 years. The aim is to highlight the positive things young people aged 12 to 24 get up to.

Whangarei is hosting the national launch of Youth Week in Laurie Hall carpark from 10am to 2pm on Saturday, May 22, which will feature bands, dance groups and celebrities. The week will end with a Twilight Festival at the Quarry Arts Centre with more entertainment on Saturday. The Whangarei Youth Network has created a Facebook page which features information about events being held in Whangarei. Go to www.facebook.com and search Whangarei Youth Network.

For more information go online to the national Youth Week website www.youthweek.co.nz.

Leading up to Youth Week the Leader is running articles about successful young people in Whangarei.

- © Fairfax NZ News