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March 5, 2014
Inside
Pet rescue
Members of the Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team donate pet oxygen mask kits to Lake Country Fire department. ...............................
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GRADE 8
students from George Elliot and kindergarten students from Davidson Road, head out to visit every classroom at George Elliot, spreading a positive message to fight bullying.
KEVIN PARNELL
/LAKE COUNTRY CALENDAR
Theft from autos As thieves ramp up break-ins to automobiles, Lake Country RCMP urge motorists to learn how to protect their property. ...............................
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Flyers ■ Budget Blinds ■ Coopers ■ Home Depot ■ Rona ■ Shoppers Drug Mart ■ Staples ■ Summit Tools
Let the bullying be a bygone KEVIN PARNELL When it comes to bullying in school it’s an issue that might best be tackled at the youngest of ages. And at George Elliot secondary in Lake Country, school officials put that philosophy to the test last week as part of the annual Pink Shirt Day across B.C. the movement that is putting the spotlight on bullying. Grade 8 students from George Elliot secondary school joined forces with kindergarten students from Davidson Road elementary on
Wednesday to spread a positive message of love and compassion to each and every class at George Elliot. “There is nothing like the power of an innocent child to change a kids’ demeanor,” said George Elliot vice principal Randy Bischoff. “There is that power and connection that comes when kids are talking to kids. When you have a kindergarten student talking to an older student they just turn to mush.” The Grade 8 students, the youngest students at George Elliot this year, were trained by the Red Cross prior to taking
part in the event. It was a two-day comprehensive training program called Beyond the Hurt that focused on bullying and harassment awareness. Before the Pink Shirt Day, the Grade 8s visited Davidson Road to meet and talk to the kindergarten students about bullying. “It was amazing to watch our Grade 8s go over there,” said Bischoff. “They were nervous at the start but by the end the kindergarten kids were sitting in kids laps and they were having a great time. Kids are not judgemental.” The students then
took their training and put it to practice at their own school. Last week the kindergarten students came to George Elliot, partnered with their Grade 8 buddy and visited class-rooms armed with drawings written with messages such as be nice, be kind and love. The theme of the day was imagine. “Imagine if these kindergarten kids didn’t have to know bullying,” said Bischoff. “Imagine if they can come to school where it’s safe. Imagine what we can do with that. When you can train kids off the get-go about
what is the right thing to do and how you treat people, as they get older there is much more respect.” Bischoff says they decided to use Grade 8s in the program and have them take the training so that what they learn will be carried forward for the five years the students will be in the school. Next year George Elliot will be home to Grade 7 students for the first time as the area awaits a new middle school. Bischoff says their Grade 8s will also talk to Grade 7 students from Lake Coun-
try’s elementary schools this year to help make the transition to a high school easier. And he added it’s all about making the school a safe place to learn. “It’s a big fear for parents,” he said. “They want to know when their kids come there that they will be safe. If you train Grade 8s they will be here for five years. The Red Cross was impressed with how well they took to the program and our students have vowed to make a difference.” newsroom @lakecountrynews.net