Greater Victoria students reflect on Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Friday is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is marked by Orange Shirt Day. On Thursday morning in Langford, B.C., ceremonial First Nation dancers greeted students from Ruth King Elementary and Spencer Middle School. Those students were dressed in a sea of orange.

On Thursday morning in Langford, B.C., ceremonial First Nation dancers greeted students from Ruth King Elementary and Spencer Middle School. Those students were dressed in a sea of orange.

"We wear orange shirts because of a young girl that was six, who wore an orange shirt to school and it was taken away from her," said Vicki Ives, principle of Ruth King Elementary.

That little girl was residential school survivor Phylis Jack Webstad. Her experience on the first day of residential school has now become the symbol of truth and reconciliation in Canada.

This was Grade Five student Noah Bertland reading a poem he wrote in front of the students:

"Residential school, really mean, eating very little," he read.

"Our schools today, super kind, cool."

Bertland's poem was contrasting today's education system with that of Canada's residential school system.

He says in class he has learned extensively about residential schools and the atrocities that resulted from them. It’s a lesson that isn’t lost on him or his fellow students.