On Oct. 25, students took part in a celebration for Unity Day.  The event, coordinated by the Letter Club, spread awareness about the seriousness of bullying.  Schreiber students brought the community together to try to prove that we can all put an end to bullying.

Unity Day was sponsored by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, and has been a holiday since 2011.   This center works to help Americans take a stand against bullying.   As stated on their website, PACER is an organization whose mission is to be “champions for children with disabilities.”

During lunch, a booth was set up in the lobby where students bought t-shirts and popcorn.  Orange bracelets reading the words “Scatter Kindness,” and “Kindness Matters” were distributed throughout the day. Also, students were called upon to wear orange to support Unity Day.

“Unity Day is a great way to spread awareness about bullying and the extent to which it affects teens like us,” said sophomore Priya Chainani.   “It’s time for us to do more than wear an orange shirt, and really be proactive about being kind to people, or even standing up for those who are victims.”

After school, a walk was held on the track, where the students and staff members of Schreiber and Weber marched together in support of those who have been bullied.  This walk gave the community a chance to be active against bullying and promote support among the entire student body.

“Everyone should be kind.  The idea of Unity Day is amazing, but don’t just wear orange, do something about the problem,” said sophomore Nikki Stern.

The reason behind wearing orange on Unity Day stems from more than just an arbitrary decision to choose a color for the day.

“Orange provides a powerful, visually compelling expression of solidarity.   When hundreds of individuals in a school or organization wear orange, the vibrant statement becomes a conversation starter, sending the unified message to kids to know that they are not alone,” said Executive Director of the PACER Center Paula Goldberg on the PACER Center website.

For many at Schreiber, Unity Day allows students to feel empowered and feel comfortable to be themselves.   Many students feel proud being able to partake in this holiday.

“I feel that being a part of Unity Day is important for all students at Schreiber,” said sophomore Ava Wechsler.  “Not only does it bring us together to stand up against bullying, it allows those who feel they need to take a stand to do so.  Seeing everyone wearing orange together makes me feel a part of something big, something that I know can make a difference.”

Unity Day was established to spread kindness and influence people to stand up for others.  Students were motivated by these events to be kind to one another every single day, not just Unity Day.  With the work of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, Unity Day at Schreiber was a success.

“Hopefully as a community, we can continue to make sure that others feel safe and secure in our school,” said sophomore Luca Barbosa.