RICHMOND-NEWS.COM
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017
PINK SHIRT DAYin
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Richmond
Comic heros tackle bullying
Kids create fictional characters to address real-life problems
“But The Champ comes in and says to the person that’s stopping the kid playing Staff Reporter basketball that they have to ‘grow some social ACAMPBELL@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM responsibility.’ “The person realizes they’ve done someullies had better watch their back. thing wrong and the kid in the pink shorts is If they don’t smarten up sharpish, Mr. allowed to play.” Troll will track them down and use his hypSentiments of “being brave” and “standing notic powers to cure them of their ills. up for yourself” were also prevalent throughAnd if it’s Mr. Troll’s day off, they best keep out the rest of students’ anti-bullying special an eye out for The Champ, who will be there editions and cards, which will be handed out directly to teach them a thing or two about to the rest of the school on Pink Shirt Day on social responsibility, including allowing a kid Feb. 22. to play basketball, no matter what colour of Victoria said a question and answer session shorts he’s wearing. at the beginning of the school year with his Whatever plan the bullies have in mind, new students — and a few returning ones — the Grade 4 and 5 students in teacher revealed a burning desire to the do the Comic Carlos Victoria’s combined class at Westwind Con again. elementary have it covered with anti-bullying “It was the first things they asked,” said an messages, courtesy of characters from their excited Victoria. annual Comic Con. “And the kids who asked weren’t the ones It’s only the second year that Victoria has who were in the class last year.” It all started, explained Victoria, when a couple of students wanted to start a comic club and wanted him to be their sponsor teacher. “Last year, we had to put persuasive writing on the back burner to do it; this year, I incorporated it by getting them to write to the Richmond News, to persuade them to come out to see us again.” Victoria then gathered all the kids together and asked them how they might incorporate an anti-bullying message into the Comic Con, with Pink Shirt Day falling in the middle of their “convention.” “Straight away, one of the kids suggested we do antibullying themed comics,” he said. “That’s the value of feeling valued and being involved. Everyone’s opinions are respected.” It’s that level of inclusion that Victoria agrees goes a long way to boosting kids’ n Westwind elementary Grade 5 student Devon Sales-Parno created self-esteem and confidence, The Adventures of the Champ, a superhero who deals with bullies the absence of which are by way of teaching them social responsibility. Photo by Alan Campcommon in kids — and bell/Richmond News even adults — that become the victims of bullying. used the Comic Con to tick many of the cur“(Inclusion) is the most basic link between riculum boxes. what we’re doing and anti-bullying,” said And with the second of the three-day event Victoria. landing this year on Pink Shirt Day, the stu“A big part of the curriculum are the core dents decided to create and “publish” special competencies, or skills. The Comic Con alanti-bullying editions and trading cards of lows the kids to see what those skills are. The their fictional characters. Comic Con hits all six of the core competen“It’s about social responsibility and that you cies and it gives the kids a lot of confidence. can’t judge people by what they’re wearing,” “It also creates a strong sense of classroom said 10-year-old Grade 5 student Devon community and that also helps (to combat Sales-Parno of his comic The Adventures of bullying). the Champ. “The great thing is that this is all coming “This kid isn’t allowed to play basketball from them; it’s amazing to see them coming because he’s wearing pink shorts. up with this stuff.”
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n Westwind elementary Grade 4 student Jessica Osten, 9, (above) shows off one of her special Pink Shirt Day comic cards that she’s created as part of the class’s Comic Con project. (Left) Daymon Biln (right), 10, and Liam Jackson, 9, both Grade 4 students, created Batman anti-bullying cards as part of the Comic Con. (Below) Members of teacher Carlos Victoria’s Grade 4/5 combined class are hard at work, creating their comics and anti-bullying cards as part of their Comic Con, which ticks many of the year’s curriculum boxes. Photos by Alan Campbell/ Richmond News n More photos online at RichmondNews.com