Originating in 2011, October 22nd was declared as National Unity Day. This is a day to send a clear message against bullying and is showcased through people wearing and sharing the color orange. This vibrant color sends a potent reminder to communities to spread kindness, acceptance and inclusion. This unity symbolizes that no one has to stand alone against bullying and when GHS Key Club discovered this movement, we were quick to adapt it to our district.
“As a club, we always try to do something each month that sends a positive message throughout the school or community,” said Key Club Co-President Jayme Frank ‘26. “So when Mrs. Bookless brought this idea to our leadership team, we were quick to get to work.” Originally, we thought to just have this event throughout the Galena High School, but then we thought, why not do it district wide?
“Bookless and I began working with the GEMS Guidance Counselors, Mrs. Breitsprecker and Mrs. Kaiser,” commented Key Club Co-President Violet Doyle ‘26. They instantly were on board and thought it would be a great way to combat bullying within our district. “We wanted to make sure to frame this day as positively as possible. Rather than using the word bullying, we advocated for it to be more focused on friendship and unity,” Kaiser shared. In order to make this day accessible for everybody, Key Club will be handing out orange bracelets for students so they can proudly represent some orange, no matter how much it is.
The overall message we want this event to entail is to serve as a reminder to all to be kind to each other. Ultimately, this is an homage to the district’s “Be Kind” days. “ ‘Be Kind’ days were always some of my favorite days in primary school,” shared Kallan Kropp ‘26. “So I was happy to hear that something similar is being done now.” We hope that something so simple can have a profound impact on students’ habits and overall create a more welcoming and inclusive school environment. Don’t forget to mark your calendars and wear your orange!
