TICKLED PINK: At Masterton Intermediate School, Bree Toia (back row, left), Charlee Gooding, deputy principal Cam Maunder, Sophie Ordish, (front) Sam Clegg, Emma-Lee Jones, Tayla Morris and Melissa Fletcher get into the Pink Shirt Spirit.
TICKLED PINK: At Masterton Intermediate School, Bree Toia (back row, left), Charlee Gooding, deputy principal Cam Maunder, Sophie Ordish, (front) Sam Clegg, Emma-Lee Jones, Tayla Morris and Melissa Fletcher get into the Pink Shirt Spirit.
Whether it was kids in fluorescent ties, wigs, gumboots and fluffy hats, or teachers in football kits and ballet skirts, there was pink as far as the eye could see at Douglas Park and Masterton Intermediate Schools.
Yesterday, the two schools held mufti days to celebrate Pink Shirt Day, aninternational initiative encouraging schools and businesses to make a stand against bullying.
Children at both schools embraced the event, some dressed in head-to-toe pink, putting temporary streaks in their hair, and even wearing costumes, such as animal ears and tutus.
Masterton Intermediate deputy principal Cam Maunder said the event also helped raise awareness of mental health issues among the pupils, with proceeds from the mufti day going to the Mental Health Foundation.
It was also a chance to fundraise for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, with staff holding a Pink Ribbon Breakfast in the morning.
Douglas Park principal Dick Brown said the Pink Shirt Day event tied in with the school's strong values systems, titled PRIDE: Peace, Respect, Independence, Dare to Dream and Excellence. He said promoting these values in school life had helped prevent bullying behaviours.
