Published November 21, 2022

Throughout our North Central region, in various creative and memorable ways, schools observed Unity Day, a day to celebrate kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Falling on October 19th this year, the day began with announcements regarding Unity Day in some schools.

• In Oroville, the video Be Someone’s Hero was played during breakfast in the 7th – 12th grade commons, and a table held stickers, bookmarks, and orange bracelets reading “Stand Together.” At lunchtime, Oroville secondary students enjoyed a Kindness Rock painting activity.
• At Omak High School, the Teaching Everyone Awareness (TEA) club served free Arnold Palmer Tea to their peers. Students who wrote positive messages on a Unity Board received orange “Stand Together” bracelets.
• At Moses Lake High School, Youth in Action students asked their peers to trace their hands on orange paper, and then write within the hand outline something they could do to welcome others at school. These strategies were then posted in the school commons. Youth in Action also handed out bracelets reading “Be the change that you wish to see.”
• At Soap Lake High School, students viewed Unity Day videos during their advisory periods, and during lunch time signed a Pledge, on a Make the Pledge banner, to act with kindness, accept others and include them. They were able to take orange bracelets to wear.
• In Waterville, Hope Squad members painted positive messages on rocks and hid them around the school. Students who found a rock were able to exchange it for a Unity Day T-shirt.
• At WestSide High School, staff members wore Unity Day T-shirts, and students received information, candy and entries into a drawing to win a colorful cuddly creature named Unity the Unicorn.
• At Chelan High School, a small committee of staff and peers met students before school to briefly share about Unity Day and to hand out unity stickers. During lunch, they staffed a Make the Pledge banner while distributing orange popsicles and Unity stickers.
• At Cashmere High School, a representative from each student-led organization wore a Unity Day T-shirt for the day.
• At Quincy High School, the Youth Action students wore Unity Day shirts, wrote a message in chalk at the front entrance and handed out orange bracelets during lunch times.