Amy Peters’ design has been selected out of 380 entries for this year’s Alberta Orange Shirt Campaign and will be featured on the front of the official Alberta Orange Shirt. Orange shirts are worn to honour residential school system survivors and to promote ongoing reconciliation. Amy is a student at Delburne Centralized High School. Through a partnership with the Alberta Distance Learning Centre, she receives her Art 10 instruction through ADLC.

In her artist statement, Amy says, “What Orange Shirt Day is to me is a day for all citizens of Alberta, and even Canada, to remember the impacts of residential schools on our Aboriginal people; to promote healing within their communities as well as embracing First Nations Culture. In my design, the dream-catcher within the child’s eye represents how students at these schools dreamed of freedom and returning to their own culture, escaping the oppression of European settlers, and how the dream is slowly coming true. The beads represent healing (green), faith/happiness (red), and sharing (white); colors appropriate for renewing relations after so much suffering was endured.”

Her art teacher, Ms. Waldowski-Puskepelies said, “Amy’s design shows that she truly understands the painful and complicated legacy of the residential school system. Her effort to find light and hope from this tragedy illustrates her optimism for a brighter future. I encourage all my art students to take part in various Truth & Reconciliation projects, as the arts can bridge cultural divides and open new avenues for learning about our shared histories, responsibilities and visions for the future.”

Amy and her family have been invited to attend the Orange Shirt Day event on September 29, at Edmonton City Hall. Congratulations Amy!

Purchase an orange shirt featuring Amy’s design.
Read more about this story at SafeandCaring.ca.
Read Phyllis’ story about how Orange Shirt Day started.