With Pink Shirt Day just days away, one Grade 6 student's powerful illustration of an ideal, inclusive Earth aims to unite thousands in the Durham Region Catholic community.

So far, Joshua Chung's design, which graces a pink t-shirt, has drawn nearly 2,900 t-shirt sales and upwards of $8,400 in donations to support local students and families in need across the community. 

Through a collaborative effort from the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB), the Pink Shirt Day T-Shirt Design Contest under the theme “Kindness Connects Us” was launched ahead of Stand Up to Bullying Week, taking place from Feb. 23 to 27. Tied to the board's bullying prevention and intervention efforts and to promote kindness, inclusivity and anti-bullying in the Catholic school community. 

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Joshua's winning design depicting the Earth with people standing atop holding signs with a clear message of unity. Chung, a student at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School in Pickering, Ont., shared his inspiration behind the winning design, as well as the feeling of having been selected above hundreds of potential designs. 

“My design was inspired by my Grade 8 sister's project, and the people on top are there to signify that everyone is welcome and that we can share the same faith — we are all included and connected,” he said. “I really enjoyed drawing the Earth, letting my hands move while thinking about what I was going to draw. I found that my drawing had won one day when my mom told me after school, and I just couldn’t believe it.” 

After being selected, the work shifted to a team of eight Business Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) students at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School, who took on the entire order-to-cash process, from vendor selection, online ordering, fulfillment and extensive marketing. 

“(Joshua) should  feel proud as his design, even across so many submissions, instantly resonated collectively with the team. We felt confident that this was the image that would represent Pink Shirt Day this year,” said Christopher Gerosavas, a senior business teacher at Notre Dame.

“ We did posters, announcements and helped coordinate actions across all secondary and elementary schools in the Durham Catholic District School Board. The students had their thumbs on the pulse of what was going on while also having the opportunity to see how marketing and business work.” 

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Students from Notre Dame even reached the point where they were able to analyze the campaign and look at sales and marketing insights, an added bonus thanks to the initiative's success. 

“Collaboratively, this is also about getting a learning opportunity and seeing what's happening in the back end of these types of events and campaigns. They are now seeing tangibly how what they have been working on is making its mark out there, and that will continue into next week,” Gerosavas said. 

Speaking to Chung for the first time on a call with The Catholic Register, Gerosavas shared with him directly that, despite a lofty goal of selling 1,000 shirts board-wide, the team managed to almost triple the goal, selling just under 2,900 shirts in total, giving way for thousands of students to proudly sport the design for Pink Shirt Day on Feb. 25. 

Net proceeds from each shirt sale, currently totalling just over $8,400, will be donated to the Durham Catholic Children's Foundation, which supports students and families facing financial and personal hardship. Faeron Pileggi, the DCDSB’s senior manager of communications, said the foundation supports hundreds of students and families each year, assisting in over 37 schools last year alone.

The chair of the foundation remains grateful and supportive of the Pink Shirt Day T-Shirt Design Contest and the hard work of both creators, facilitators and participants.   

“The Kindness Connects Us Pink Shirt Day campaign brings our spiritual call to be peacemakers to life in a very real way. Each shirt is a reminder that when we choose kindness, we strengthen our school communities and help ensure students and families feel supported and cared for,” said Bernadette Santiago, chair of the Durham Catholic Children's Foundation. 

With Stand Up to Bullying Week starting shortly, Gerosavas shared his thanks for some of the most rewarding moments of successfully connecting with the board team, seeing students passionate and taking ownership of the initiative, having sales far exceed targets and being able to support people in their community in need. 

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For Chung, the most rewarding aspect is the message he helped convey. 

“I just feel  proud that I was able to come up with my idea and do this. I want to let people being bullied know that we're all going to be there to stand up for them and speak up to help them.”