‘No voice is too small’: CMHR puts out call for student submissions

Students at General Byng School are pictured at a presentation by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights on March 19, 2024. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)

Manitoba students could soon see their work displayed at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

The museum put out a call for submission for its annual Upstander showcase, which gives students an opportunity to share how they're standing up for human rights.

Museum officials visited General Byng School on Tuesday to show off some past examples of Upstander projects, hoping to inspire students to submit their own work.

Submissions can include a visual project, be it works of art or film, or even music and podcasts.

General Byng School Principal Tracey Groening says Upstander is a great opportunity to show off the work students are doing on a daily basis.

“This is exactly what we need to make sure that the kids are really understanding that these are the topics that are out there in this world, and how we can take a stand and empower our students to be a voice and bring to light the injustices that are happening, and what they can do about it, and that no voice is too small,” she said.

Eighth grader Divisha presented a project on the impacts of screen time on young people, from mental health challenges to eye problems.

“We already hear a lot of things from adults, from our parents or the adults we live with, telling us to get off our phones but coming from someone your own age might be a little bit better,” she said.

Groening says projects like Divisha’s helps students identify injustices and stand up against them.

“We’re not standing back and being a bystander. We’re being an upstander.”

The deadline for students to submit their projects to the museum is May 3

More information can be found on the museum’s website.