Students cover SIS Diversity Festival
EDITOR’S NOTE: Following are a few samples of stories written by members of Summerside Intermediate School’s Journalism Club during the school’s recent Diversity Festival, where members of the club covered events in order to write about them.
DIVING INTO DIVERSITY
SAMANTHA COUGHLIN
On Wednesday there was a presentation for the Grade 8 and 9 from Tom Hilton and Angele DesRoches. Hilton is from the P.E.I. Human Rights Commission, and DesRoches is from the PEERS Alliance (PEERS means Prevent Educate Empower Respect Support). The presentation was a huge success. Both the Grade 8 and 9 students were given the opportunity to ask questions following the presentations, in addition to questions which came from the “Question Boxes” which were located in student’s Health classes. All students who attended the presentations received a diversity bookmark and a rainbow pamphlet with the LGBTQ+ diversity definitions.
LGBTQ+ ISSUES AND KNOWLEDGE
MAY ARSENAULT
The second week in our school’s diversity week was all about LGBTQ+ issues and the knowledge of such diversity.
The Grade 7 SIS students watched a presentation by the SIS GSA Group about the awareness of LGBTQ+ issues. As well as learning some offensive phrases, they learned the fluidity of the Kinsey scale (sexuality spectrum) and the gender spectrum. After the presentation the grade sevens got to interact with the presenters via asking questions and getting some answers to questions that they may not have answered.
CELEBRATING DIFFERENCES
MOLLY MACINNIS
Regardless of how they identify, students made lots of fun memories at SIS recently.
At the second week of the SIS diversity festival, students celebrated their differences by learning more about LGBTQ+ issues.
Many students walked away with a deeper understanding of LGBTQ+ history and terminology after presentations by the SIS GSA club, the P.E.I. Human Rights Commission and the PEERS Alliance.
Aside from presentations, there were also fun activities like LGBTQ+ Jeopardy and pink shirt day to raise bullying awareness.
MOSIAC WEEK LOADS OF FUN
PAIGE WALFIELD
Canadian Mosaic Week was both educational and lots of fun. I really enjoyed watching students participate in culturally diverse activities and listening to presenters discuss what culture means to them. On
Monday, we had a scavenger hunt which was very fun and very competitive, the winner was Ty Leblanc.
Tuesday morning fellow classmate Shaymaa Aldos spoke in Arabic on the announcements. She shared a number of cool facts, like how 6.5 per cent of our population on P.E.I. are immigrants.
Wednesday we got to listen to a presentation from The Association of Newcomers to Canada. “You have the power to welcome the world to your school,” said presenter
Steve Lai.
I found that quote really awesome because we as a school need to welcome any new students with open arms and show them they don’t need to be afraid.
On Thursday in the cafeteria we had food from different countries that the students could sample.
We had a busy week. I was able to put aside that and just have fun, but I also got to fill my head with more knowledge about culture which is always cool too.