Orange Shirt Day project fits students to a tee
On the eve of Orange Shirt Day, hundreds of black T-shirts will be handed out to teenagers at Elmwood High School, with no mishaps in the clothing procurement process. The initiative, run by students, aims to promote "truth and reconciliation" throughout the year. Daniel Concepcion, a Grade 12 student, expressed hope that these shirts will not just gather dust on hangers for most of the year. Every child matters, every part of the day, every day, he emphasized.
At Elmwood High School, students in grades 7 to 12 have dedicated part of September to learning how to screenprint. Black ink, deemed challenging, is now a staple in the Elmwood Supply Company workshop, transforming alumna's custom artwork into over 800 cotton T-shirts. The original design portrays a mother, adorned with Ojibwa floral beadwork, tenderly gazing at her baby. Accompanied by a heart and the digits 24-7-365, the image reflects the importance of acknowledging every child and every moment.
Graphic designer Ashlyn Anderson-Williams, who graduated from Elmwood, created the close-up depiction of the mother's intimate act of parenting. The mother's braid is tucked into her baby's swaddle, symbolizing the interconnectedness of all things, as per Anderson-Williams whose family originates from Hollow Water First Nation.
The project secured a $7,000 grant from the Manitoba Orange Shirt Day Fund to fund the design and mass production. Manitoba started observing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, in 2021 to honor the children who never returned from residential schools. Age-appropriate education about residential schools has been implemented since the 2026-27 academic year began.
The Elmwood Supply course, launched in 2020, focuses on teaching students professional skills like marketing and communication. Teacher-advisers Patrick Gadsby and Matthew Reis foster hands-on learning through the credited course. This first screenprinting experience has been both entertaining and rewarding for both students and teachers, as they navigate the learning process together.
Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
