Pink Shirt Day: Dene laws shape anti‑bullying lessons at Ehtseo Ayha School in Deline
As Pink Shirt Day approaches on Feb. 25, students and staff at Ehtseo Ayha School in Deline are focusing on the Dene law of respecting everyone around you and on classroom strategies intended to give youth practical conflict‑resolution skills. A story published at 4: 01 p. m. ET on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 named Jason Dayman as the school’s principal and described the school’s local approach.
School links Dene law and the 'Sprinkle Kindness' theme for Pink Shirt Day
Pink Shirt Day will be recognized across Canada on Feb. 25, and this year’s theme is 'Sprinkle Kindness. ' At Ehtseo Ayha School in Deline the emphasis is on respecting everyone around you, a value the school connects directly to a Dene law. Principal Jason Dayman, who has been in the role for five years, said the teachings inform how mentors operate both in the school and within the wider community.
Monthly Dene law study and feather awards for students
Each month the school examines a different Dene law and recognizes a student who exemplifies those values by awarding them a feather. The practice is presented as part of mentorship and community life at the school, with Dayman saying those teachings are integral to how mentors operate in school and community settings.
WITS program taught as a practical anti‑bullying tool
Dayman praised the school’s anti‑bullying programming, highlighting the WITS approach used with students. WITS instructs pupils to first Walk away; Ignore the inappropriate behaviour; Talk the situation out with their peers; and, if all else fails, Seek help. Dayman emphasized the program’s aim of "giving kids the skills to be able to deal with small problems on their own. " He added, "The WITS program that we use, I like because it’s an acronym, and a ‘word’ that they can remember. "
Principal stresses limits of the word 'bullying' and adult support
Dayman cautioned that he does not use the word bullying lightly, noting that "Bullying is repeated behaviour, " and that when students have tried using their WITS they should have "that opportunity to talk to an adult. " He reiterated the school’s broader goal of "giving the kids the skills to be able to deal with conflict on their own, teaching them the skills they need to have to be successful in society. "
Related incidents and broader regional activity — Nova Scotia to PEI
The contexts for Pink Shirt Day extend beyond Deline. After a new student was bullied for wearing a pink shirt, a group of Grade 9 boys in Nova Scotia organized a protest: standing in the school entryway with bags of discounted goods, they distributed pink shirts to all the boys in the school. In Prince Edward Island, the day also draws attention: a former Charlottetown Islanders forward, Giovanni Morneau, spoke during an anti‑bullying presentation to students at Montague Consolidated School in 2023, and a recent review of PEI’s educational authorities by retired chief justice David Jenkins showed bullying remains a major concern for Island parents even though the scope of his report was limited to sexual misconduct.
Weather and timing noted in regional coverage
Regional coverage that referenced Pink Shirt Day also included local weather details: a mix of clouds and sun during the morning giving way to cloudy skies in the afternoon with a high of -2C and winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h; overnight conditions noted as cloudy with snow, a low of -4C, winds SSE at 15 to 25 km/h, a 90% chance of snow and expected accumulations of 3–7 cm. Multiple items reiterated that this year Pink Shirt Day falls on Wednesday, February 25.
