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Delburne school student’s design selected for Orange Shirt Day

Amy Peters’ design chosen from 380 submissions
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Delbourne School’s Grade 11 student Amy Peters’ design for a contest has become the official logo for Orange Shirt Day in Alberta. Photo supplied

Delburne Centralized School student Amy Peters’ design was selected to become a logo for this year’s provincial Orange Shirt Day campaign.

Her design was selected from 380 submissions.

The Grade 11 student said she was keen to participate in the contest.

“The work underway to rebuild First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities is so important, and if my art can provide any kind of support to those efforts I’m thrilled,” said Peters.

Her design, depicts a First Nations child with a dream of being freed from her residential school and returning home to her family and culture.

“So that’s why there’s dream catcher in place of an eye because it represents their dreams and freedom,” she said.

Peters’ design will be on orange shirts sold online.

Many schools and communities choose to celebrate Orange Shirt Day in Canada, which started in 2013. It’s a day to come together in the spirit of reconciliation for current and future generation children. Orange Shirt Day, on Sept. 29, falls on a Saturday this year and many communities are choosing to celebrate it a day before.

The competition was organized through the Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities in Edmonton. The organization has been instrumental in the annual Orange Shirt Day event that honours residential school survivors and promotes ongoing reconciliation.

The contest, in its second year, was open to all Alberta students from kindergarten to Grade 12.

Last year, the organization sold more than 10,000 Orange Day shirts.

Art isn’t Peters’ only passion. Along with being an engaged high school student, she is an avid competitive archer who is trying to qualify for the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer in 2019. She’s not far from her goal, having won the silver medal at the 2014 Alberta Winter Games in Banff and Bronze at Medicine Hat in 2016.

“There is no reason a small-town student can’t reach their goals with some hard work and perseverance,” said Peters.

Delburne Centralized School along with other schools in Chinook’s Edge will be ablaze in orange later this month.