How a spontaneous classroom moment inspired student-led change at Madoc Township Public School — and what's coming next for Words Matter.
“Beautiful! I’m back in class!”
I have to admit, this might be one of my favourite things I’ve heard from a school this year.
Those four words came from a student named Owen at Madoc Township Public School, who walked into his classroom one day and enthusiastically announced how happy he was to be there.
His teacher, Angela Burr, was so struck by the moment that she decided to turn it into something bigger.
She challenged seven Grade 7/8 students involved in our Words Matter Campaign to think about the words that had made a lasting difference in their own lives.
The students shared stories of encouragement, belonging, and moments when someone else’s words had helped them see themselves differently.
Then they tried an experiment.
They started giving compliments to other students and people in their community.
Sounds simple enough, right?
Well, the students quickly discovered something interesting. It felt a little fake.
Some found it awkward. Others were shy or unsure how people would respond. And they realized that saying something positive wasn’t necessarily the same as making someone feel genuinely valued.
So they changed their approach. They started thinking about what makes words authentic, meaningful, and capable of having a lasting impact. And now they’re taking what they’ve learned into classrooms, daily announcements, and eventually, they hope, their broader community.
I love everything about this. Not because it’s some grand, perfectly executed project. Quite the opposite.
It’s seven young people trying something, learning from it, and figuring out how they can make their school a better place.
That’s what Words Matter is all about.
And it’s exactly the kind of change you’re helping make possible.
Speaking of ripple effects… look what you’ve helped start!
Remember our crowdfunding campaign this past spring?
Thanks to the generosity of people like you, we’re taking some exciting steps toward bringing Words Matter into more school communities across Canada.
We now have pilot schools signed up in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Alberta!
That’s three provinces where new school communities will have the opportunity to explore how Words Matter can help students and educators address harmful language, strengthen belonging, and create more inclusive schools.
And while there’s still plenty of work ahead, this is a really exciting milestone for us.
We’ve always believed that the impact of Words Matter shouldn’t depend on where a student happens to go to school.
Your support is helping us move closer to making that a reality.
A little sneak peek at what’s next…
We’ve also been hard at work behind the scenes preparing for Words Matter 2.0, launching in January 2027!
We’re developing a new, easier-to-navigate website, new resources to help educators support students who have experienced harmful language, and practical Return to School Packages for students who have caused harm through racist, homophobic, or transphobic language.
We’re also simplifying how schools evaluate their progress, so they can better understand what’s working and where they can keep growing. All of these new resources will be available at no additional cost to schools already participating in the campaign.
There’s a lot happening, and I can’t wait to share more as we get closer to January.
But for now, I wanted to share this little story from Madoc Township. Because sometimes, when we talk about creating more inclusive schools, it can sound like a pretty enormous task.
And it is.
But sometimes it starts with one student walking into a classroom and saying how happy they are to be there. Sometimes it starts with seven students who decide they want to make a difference.
And sometimes it starts with someone like you, who believes in the work enough to help make it happen. Thank you for being part of the ripple effect.
Talk soon,
Janelle
Executive Director
Harmony Movement