R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

I had the privilege of spending all of last week in Calderside Academy. The school are aiming to become a Rights Respecting School as part of a UNICEF initiative.

As part of this process the SMT invited the chaplaincy team to lead a whole week of activities with the S1 pupils, to increase their awareness of what it means to be a Rights Respecting School.

For three mornings every S1 pupil visited 2 workshops. Each workshop was based on an article from the convention of the rights of the child. Through games, drama, music, art and storytelling the pupils explored what the articles meant for them and their school. As a finale to the week we held a S1 period long assembly. Each workshop fed back to the whole assembly, through singing, drama, DVD and interview. One group of pupils sang the Cyndi Lauper song "True Colours" (more recently performed by the Glee cast) and included their own "new" verses which they had written at the workshop. It was deeply moving to hear them sing the chorus...

But I see your true colors
shining through
I see your true colors
and that's why I love you
so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors
true colors are beautiful
like a rainbow

Along the wall of the assembly hall were rows of posters that many of the children had made in the workshop that described "them" in words and pictures. The words of the song complimented this visual banner that surrounded us. For me this was a "wow" moment. How I longed for each young person in that place to be able to "shine their true colours" to be themselves, and to grow into adults aware of others rights and their own incredible uniqueness. There was a sense of mystery, otherness, and challenge. It really was an RO event. Each pupil received a R.E.S.P.E.C.T wristband to remind them of the week with the chaplaincy team.

Jen