PICTURES OF COURAGE
Central Okanagan Public Schools held their 14th annual Harmony Day on Thursday. The theme this year was Courage – along with equity and anti-racism – and educators used a variety of resources, lesson guides, and books from the district’s Harmony Day committee to open conversations about the themes. While the usual multicultural potlucks and assemblies were curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, schools hosted virtual assemblies and co-ordinated artistic displays with groups of students. Middle and secondary students once again signed out human “books” through a virtual living library that featured a wide range of presenters. RIGHT: Carsyn Song and Miles Gutenberg from Peachland Elementary display a collaborative Harmony Day/anti-bullying piece from the school’s Indigenous students. ABOVE: Helen Gorman Elementary students wrote meaningful words about courage on paper feathers distributed by their Social Justice team and teachers Jocelyn Airey and Tracey Vasko organized them into a dove for their library window.