Calvin Christian High School is honouring Every Child Matters with their second recognition of Orange Shirt Day today.

Alexa Nimchuk is the Math and Science teacher for Calvin Christian High School in Winnipeg. She says, "Last year I piloted it and it was a success."

Orange Shirt Day honours Indigenous children in Canada that went through residential schools for over one hundred years. 

"This year myself and Wes Enns partnered up and tried to make it a bigger event."

September 30 is the official day and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation have a live stream event being broadcast all over Canada this year. 

"This time around we sent information out to teachers so they can share different videos and information to our students in our devotion time in the morning. I had my grade 8's make posters around the hallways as well."

Part of Calvin's vision for their school is to act with love, compassion and justice in the world, which fits with the idea of Every Child Matters.

"Our school follows something called Teaching for Transformation. One of our through-lines is Justice Seeking. For myself as a teacher, I've been trying to use Justice Seeking as a through-line with Orange Shirt Day for reconciliation in general," says Nimchuk.

Although we cannot change the past, Nimchuk says that there are ways her students can change what happens from here on out.

"It's standing up for those who don't have a voice, especially with everything going on around us right now in the world. It's very important to get the kids to acknowledge, see, to hear, and support others who haven't always had that support," says Nimchuk.

"We can help the situation by acknowledging and supporting, and trying to be a light in the darkness."

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