March 26 was a special day of learning and awareness for Churchville Elementary School students who participated in international Purple Day, a grassroots effort dedicated to dispelling myths about epilepsy. Hundreds of the young activists and their teachers gathered in the school auditorium, a virtual sea of purple worn in support of their cause. Principal Dave Johnson spoke about the young girl, Cassidy Megan, who was their own age when she founded Purple Day in 2008. The assembly then listened to Assistant Principal Jamie Polhamus read “Becky the Brave,” a story about another courageous young girl with epilepsy.
The event, which was coordinated by Johnson and Polhamus with the assistance of parent volunteers Christine Emerson and Jeannine Weider, was particularly special for these students as two of their own classmates struggle with the condition. Second-grader Julia Emerson and third-grader AnnaSerra Weider have been active advocates for epilepsy awareness and education at the school. It was clear that this personal connection made Purple Day relevant in a very special way for the entire school, even for the Principal himself.
“These young ladies have helped us all become more aware and educated about epilepsy,” he said. “Our kids know now that epilepsy is nothing to be frightened of, and they know what to do if someone experiences a seizure. I and my teachers have also learned a lot from participating in Purple Day, and from Julia and AnnaSerra.”
Purple Day (www.purpleday.org) is supported by the New York-based Anita Kaufmann Foundation and Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia. It has grown into an event celebrated by people in hundreds of countries on every continent.
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