Over 400 students across the Humboldt area visited LeRoy School Wednesday, as they held their bi-annual Pink Day.
First held in 2010, every second year the school invites students in grades five through 12 to take in a day of inspiration and leadership, according to Student Representative Council Advisor and teacher Danielle Bilodeau.
"Bringing us all together and having big speakers from places all over Canada are really important," she said. "When we have such a small school - our high school being 50 students approximately - when we can bring in people like Ian Tyson and Scott Hammell, its a huge experience for them and something we hope will be everlasting."
Tyson, who addressed the students in the morning noted that while they can serve as some inspiration, action still needs to be taken.
"We can light a spark. They in the school and community have to fan the flames. We can spark an idea but after that it is up to them," he stated. "Both of us in our shows have a lot of nuggets - little pieces that people can take away."
He has been speaking to high school students for the past 27 years, using an inspiration through comedy approach that engages the audience with a message to remain positive and explore options.
"I want them to be able to find their paddle and know they can navigate that current. They don't just have to go where the crowd is going and eat what they're fed as far as the information they take in," he remarked. "If they choose positivity as the backbone to all of the thousands of choices they make every day, as often as possible, their life will change astronomically."
The positivity factor stems from his 'Hooray for Everything' motto, which simply states that rather than focusing on the downside, you can turn the spotlight on good things.
"Its not advocating blind optimism, but positivity as a choice. People make thousands of choices everyday, positivity can be one of them instead of taking the downhill slope negativity is."
Like Tyson, Hammell has been speaking since he graduated high school, and that is where he was able to add an inspirational approach to performing magic.
"I had a really influential student council activities director in high school who encouraged me to add a message to it," he said. "That opened the door to coming out to places like LeRoy, who normally might not book a magician for this, but wanna see some magic and they also want to see that message attached."
To conclude his performance, Hammell had four students place him in a straitjacket, which is designed to be impossible to escape from.
He proceeded to explain that if you take the seemingly impossible and break it down into small steps, you can overcome it.
"Generally it boils down to finding your passion and making it happen. Today was more of a focus on stepping outside your comfort zone into the unknown and facing adversity and using that to make positive things happen in your life."
In between appearances from Tyson and Hammell, fun activities were held for the kids to work as a team, including a dance-off. Bilodeau noted that it leaves a level of enjoyment with the kids.
"When the kids are excited and pumped up, they gauge that emotion as being positive."
Co-President of the LeRoy SRC, Cassidy Oesch said it leaves them feeling with a level of achievement.
"Looking out on 400 students pumped and cheering for their school doing the dance-off, it makes you proud that you brought them all together."
Jaiden Muller, who serves as the other Co-President, echoed that thought.
"It makes you feel good about yourself knowing you can make this big impact," she said. "All this excitement, and I feel like they will take a lot out of this experience."
Oesch added that their hope is that Pink Day left a lasting impression on those who attended.
"One of our main things we want the kids to take away is to be confident in yourself and learn to enjoy today. Pink Day is about anti-bullying but at the same time, you have to be able to be comfortable in your skin and being able to live everyday knowing maybe someone is going to knock you down, but you need to be able to get back up."
More with Bilodeau, Muller, Oesch, Tyson, and Hammell can be heard below.
Danielle Bilodeau, Cassidy Oesch, Jaiden Muller - LeRoy SRC
Thu, Apr 25, 9:00 AM
Agriculture, Transport, Full-time, Seasonal
