On Wednesday, Oct. 19, LCM participated in Unity Day by encouraging students to wear orange. Counselors introduced and promoted the idea on campus and also set up a table outside of the cafeteria at lunch. At this table, they passed out papers to inform students about the day and also held a drawing for four Orange Grove gift cards. They encouraged students to sign their names on orange slips of paper, and these slips will be made into a paper chain.

“Unity Day is organized by the PACER National Bullying Prevention Center,” counselor Carly Derouen said. “In 2011, the event had a call to action to wear orange and unite against bullying. Today, the campaign focuses on promoting kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.”

While the day was not just for LCM, the counselors chose to participate intentionally, with multiple reasons behind the decision.

“In our attempt to inform students and our community about topics of concern in our school, we chose Unity Day,” counselor Janet Peno said. “It is an anti-bullying promotion but so much more. As counselors we talk to many students about how others treat them. We truly are hoping kindness, acceptance, and inclusion will be taken seriously by LCMHS students.”

This movement is made to help not only students who are experiencing bullying, but all students in general. It is to promote unity in the entire student body.

“No student should ever feel like they don’t belong or aren’t cared about at school,” Peno said. “Every student at LCM High School and at every school in the country deserves to be treated with respect and kindness. The goal of Unity Day is to bring together youth, parents, educators, businesses, and community members across the nation to emphasize the message that bullying is not acceptable, and that all students deserve to be safe in school, online, and in the community.”