Nami Migizi Nangwiihgan was pleasantly surprised when we were contacted and asked to visit West Intermediate middle school to view their domestic violence awareness month campaign called, “Paint West Purple!” Passionate Youth LEAD Achievement Advisor Gail Huber headed this campaign with the help of John Shelton, it is clear they inspired the students and staff of West Intermediate. When we arrived at the school we were simply amazed with what we had seen. It was great to see how proud the students were of their efforts and we were certainly proud of them! Not only was there an astounding amount of purple, there was an abundance of educational information specific to both teen dating violence and domestic violence. Knowing that the staff took time to educate their students and ensure they understand the true meaning behind the purple is humbling, they may have protected their students from entering a destructive relationship in the future. DV is a societal issue and societal change starts with our youth. This campaign led to conversation. We have been told the outpouring of personal stories students are sharing with trusted school officials were unexpectedly large. This lead to a learning experience for all involved as both students and school officials alike began to realize just how many children are affected by domestic violence. Domestic violence creates a home environment where children live in constant fear and children who witness domestic violence are affected in ways similar to children who are physically abused. Over 3 million children witness violence in their home each year. Those who see and hear violence in the home suffer physically and emotionally. We are sending a HUGE Miigwetch to Gail Huber, John Shelton and West Intermediate students and staff alike!!
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 12:14:47 +0000
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