March's Many Awareness Months

With each month, there are accompanying causes that deserve our collective awareness to acknowledge and provide support for. In March, we celebrate Women’s History Month, National Reading Month, Disability Awareness Month, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, and Kidney Month.

Women’s History Month

Women have been using fashion as a form of self-expression, empowerment, and advocacy for centuries. From the rejection of tight corsets and long skirts in the early 1900s, flapper girls of the ‘20s adopting a short bob and formless dress, to fighting for equality in the guidelines and expectations of appearance and dress, it is important to recognize this history now more than ever. So take a look at our own school’s evolution of our very own uniform in honour of Women’s History Month from Rawnie Sun!

From plaid skirts to the old white Prefect blazer, Ridley’s uniform has undergone major changes throughout history. Headmaster Miller, Ridley’s first headmaster, had a vision of Ridley’s dress code —determining that it had to be meticulous and students had to be vigilant surrounding how they presented themselves as a community. Ridley introduced our community’s first-ever female students fifty years ago and as we celebrate this anniversary, let’s take a look at how their —and our— uniform has evolved with time.

In 1973, Ridley introduced female students. With no clear dress code for women and this new progressive decision, Ridley decided its uniform must also become more progressive and change with the times, deciding that girls may choose to wear pants, a dress, or a skirt that fell below the knees with long socks. To show individuality in their own way, female students were encouraged to wear jewelry and use their hair to express individualism. Summer Dress was also for boys only and it was not until much later that a female uniform was formalised.

During the Nineties, female students followed trends —opting for babydoll dresses, Mary Janes and hoop earrings (rebelling against the studs-only rule). It was then that Headmaster Doug Campbell created and formalized the first official classroom dress uniform, consisting of grey or blue pants, a blue plaid kilt, white button-up oxford shirts, blue or grey sweaters and vests.

In 2021, Ridley introduced an entirely new uniform that moved away from Headmaster Campbell’s blue and grey uniform with the uniform we wear now. With 50 years of women at Ridley being celebrated this year, the fight for equality in representation can be found in almost every aspect of the school, with fashion and our uniform being one of them.

National Reading Month

National Reading Month is set in March to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2, 1904. The month promotes reading for all ages. We asked some Ridley students what books they were reading over the March Break, and here are some of their answers:

• Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 
• The Giver by Lois Lowry 
• A Short History of Trans Misogyny by Jules Gill-Peterson
• The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
• Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks on Cultural Hegemony by Antonio Gramsci
• Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
• Funny You Should Ask by Elisa Sussman
• The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman 
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

We then asked some English department teachers and our very own librarian, Ms. Weber, what they were reading and what they recommended to Ridley students:

• Mr. Hitchcox: What We All Long For by Dionne Brand
• Mr. Leach: Sophie’s Choice by William Styron
• Mr. Pavan: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
• Mr. Lockey: Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor E. Frankl
• Dr. Crowe-Morey: Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work by Edwidge Danticat

• Mrs. Sahak: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
• Mrs. Weber: She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba

Mrs. Tredway recommended Wishtree by Katherine Applegate. She also wanted to add:

“I would stress to Ridley students that children’s literature, while sometimes considered lesser or easier to read than ‘adult fiction,’ offers sophisticated and challenging themes. As C.S. Lewis reminded us, ‘someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.’”

Here she is with Wishtree‘s author, Katherine Applegate!

Check out the Canadian non-profit CODE if you are interested in supporting the ability of underprivileged individuals in other countries the gift of learning through books.

Francophonie Month

Francophonie Month is a celebration of the diversity of the French language and culture, partaken by Canada and the rest of the International Organization of La Francophonie. This year’s theme is “Launch into discovery,” highlighting the power that youth have to create change. 

One of Canada’s official languages is French, with Quebec having French as its official language, New Brunswick being officially bilingual, and many other provinces having sizable French-speaking populations. Due to this fact, Francophonie Month has great importance to Canada with our rich Francophonie population and culture. 

Check out the International Organization of La Francophonie or Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie for more information. 

5 Days for the Homeless Month

In 2021, over one in ten Canadians reported being homeless at least once in their life, and estimates approximate that 35,000 Canadians are without a shelter every night. Indigenous, LGBTQ+, women and children, all face homelessness at disproportionate rates. 

With the affordability of housing becoming an increasingly important issue, many Canadians are left without proper homes and shelters. But since 2005, Canadian university business students around Canada have created these short-term, 5-day relief programs to provide support. Universities like UBC, Brock, McGill, and the University of Alberta have all participated by raising donations for local homeless charities, all while promoting awareness, education, and sensitization to the homeless issue around Canada. 

Check out the 5days website and the Canadian Association of Business Students (CABS) for more information and if you are interested in donating.

Brain Health Awareness Month

Although there are over 1,000 known diseases and disorders of the brain, many do not properly take precautions to take care of the organ. From dementia to ADHD, many are affected by disorders that impact their daily lives. We have asked Ridley’s Neuro-psy-ience (psy stands for psychology) Club to tell us a bit more about what they have done in March for Brain Health Awareness:

"As part of their endeavours to unwrap the layers within the mysteries of the human brain, the Neuro-psy-ience Club created a series of informational pamphlets for distribution during Brain Awareness week last month, covering topics from bipolar disorder to Parkinson's disease. Some members also visited McMaster University over the weekend for the Hamilton Brain Bee, where they had the chance to dabble in sheep brain dissection and optogenetics." - Brian Wang ‘24 and Jocelyn Wang ‘24 of the Neuro-Psy-ience Club

Check out Ridley’s Neuro-Psy-ience Club for more information and if you are

interested in joining their club!

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

The leading cause of death in Canada is cancer, with colorectal (cancer in the colon or rectum) being one of the most prevalent. Because colorectal cancer is preventable in its early stages, it is important to spread awareness of the disease, prevention, and frequent screening via colonoscopy. If cancer has not spread past the colon, the cancer can be removed with an around 90% survival rate. But if the cancer has spread to other organs, the survival rate decreases rapidly. 

On March 1, 2024, Canada wore blue to support those who have been affected by colon cancer while spreading awareness. Additionally, various Canadian landmarks like the CN Tower and La Grande Roue Montréal shone blue in the night sky to show their respect.

Check out the Colorectal Cancer Canada website for more information and if you are interested in donating. 

Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month

Another cancer that is being recognized in March is multiple myeloma (or just myeloma), a cancer that targets plasma cells, a type of immune cell. These harmful myeloma cells can end up creating fatal damage to bones, building up as tumours that prevent healthy blood cell creation and weak bone strength. Even though myeloma is the second most common type of blood cancer, it is relatively unknown with varied and often confusing symptoms, making it important to share the knowledge of this disease. While not a completely treatable disease, if found, symptoms can be alleviated and quality of life can be improved with proper medication and treatment. 

Check out the Myeloma Canada website for more information and if you are interested in donating. 

Canadian Liver Health Month

The liver is a vital organ in our body that is critical for proper bodily function and healthy living. As the Canadian Liver Foundation states, “Your liver is your body’s high-performance engine… the reality is that when your liver stops and breaks down, your body does too.” 

At any given point, 1 in 4 Canadians may be affected by some sort of liver problem. Many do not fully understand the importance of the liver in our bodies in processing blood, breaking down nutrients and chemicals, regulating chemical levels in blood, and more. Even more so, most do not realize the various behaviours and diseases we are constantly at risk of in terms of our liver health, potentially leading to harm, illness, and death. Due to this lack of knowledge, it is important to spread awareness of the liver during March. 

Check out the Canadian Liver Foundation website for more information and if you are interested in donating. 

National Social Worker Month 

Social workers play a crucial role in helping Canadians of all ages and backgrounds of life have better mental health, well-being, and safety by providing avenues for support. Social workers can provide help through a variety of means, be it psychotherapy, counselling, and mental health. This year’s National Social Worker Month 2024 had the theme of #SocialWorkOpensDoors, which highlights the way social workers can help people find the right opportunities and people to help them tackle complex mental and physical well-being. 

Check out the Ontario Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Social Workers website for more information and if you are interested in donating.