Every Word Tells a Story: Orange Shirt Day at Evergreen

At Evergreen, we believe that “every word tells a story”, a story of identity, history, culture, connection, and belonging. This was especially meaningful as our school community came together to recognize Orange Shirt Day and Truth and Reconciliation through a thoughtful, student-led assembly hosted by our grade 4 students.

Our students used their voices to share stories and learning. We listened to With Our Orange Hearts by Phyllis Webstad, reflected on what it means to matter. 

We heard an original poem from our students about the experiences of an Indigenous child at residential school.

Grade 4 Collaborative Poem

Each year in September,

The truck would arrive.

To take away children,

Knowing some wouldn’t survive.

As you climb on the truck,

Your knees start to shake.

And as the truck rolls away,

You heart starts to ache.

You look back at your family,

A tear drops from your eye.

But the truck driver yells,

Don’t you dare cry!

As you wind down the road,

You feel alone and sad.

You arrive at the school,

And all the teachers are mad.

The first thing that happens,

Is they make you change clothes.

It’s almost like jail,

Shivering from head to toes.

The next part is worse,

When they chop off your hair.

Everyone looks the same now,

Which seems so unfair.

To erase the past,

You’re assigned a new name.

You know from that moment,

Things won’t be the same.

You aren’t able to speak,

In the language you know.

They’ve changed you so much,

You’ve never felt so low.

Each day you hope,

You will make it to another.

Crying each night,

Missing your mother.

Graves were dug,

And children never returned.

Their families had questions,

But answers weren’t learned.

As young Canadians,

It’s a story we hear.

But the past stays with us,

Year after year.

We gather each year,

At the end of September.

To support the survivors,

Which help us remember.

The youth will rise up,

And help better our nation.

So wear your orange shirt,

For Truth and Reconciliation.

Our Grade 4 students also sang Charlie by Willie Dunn, telling the story of Chanie Wenjack and reminding us of the importance of remembering and learning from the past.

The words shared during our assembly remind us that stories matter. The words we hear, the words we speak, and the stories we choose to remember can help us build a community grounded in respect, kindness, belonging, and dignity.

We are grateful to our students and staff for creating space to listen, learn, and reflect together. As we continue our journey of Truth and Reconciliation, we will continue to ask:

·       Whose stories are we hearing?

·       Whose voices are we listening to?

·       And how will we use our own words and actions to make sure every person knows they matter?

Sincerely,

Angela McPhee

Principal