A sea of orange moved through the streets of Browning Wednesday as De La Salle Blackfeet School students, families, educators, and community members came together for Orange Shirt Day, a day dedicated to remembering Indigenous children who were taken from their families and sent to residential and boarding schools.
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Students walked from Blackfeet Community College to De La Salle Blackfeet School, carrying flags and walking alongside classmates and community members. Drumming, singing and honking vehicles filled the route as the community gathered to recognize the history behind Orange Shirt Day and the lasting impacts of the residential and boarding school systems.
“Orange Shirt Day is a day that we remember and honor those who could and couldn't make it home,” said McKay, a De La Salle school alum.
Orange Shirt Day is observed each year on Sept. 30. The day was inspired by the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a member of the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation in British Columbia, Canada. Webstad has shared that when she arrived at a residential school as a child, the orange shirt her grandmother had given her was taken away.
Her experience became part of the movement behind Orange Shirt Day and its central message: Every Child Matters.
For students in Browning, the day provides an opportunity to learn about that history while also reflecting on their own identity, culture and place in their community.
“Every kid here has an important role in the community,” said Breelyn, a De La Salle school alum.
Breelyn said participating in the walk gave her a strong sense of pride.
“When I was walking, I felt proud to be Blackfeet, and I felt proud to represent our elders and our ancestors,” she said.
The community walk has become an annual tradition at De La Salle Blackfeet School, with students and staff marking Orange Shirt Day together for the past five years.
For students, the walk offered a tangible sense of belonging.
Ekko, a De La Salle school alum, was selected to carry one of the flags during the march. He said being given that responsibility made him feel connected to something larger than himself.
“I was so happy that they chose me to be the one holding one of the flags and marching,” Ekko said. “I felt like I was part of a community, like I finally felt like I was part of this large community.”
Although Browning is a small community, Ekko said the support he experienced during the walk showed him how people come together.
“We have a community that just comes together, always welcoming,” he said.
De La Salle Blackfeet School Interim President Jon Ficaro said Orange Shirt Day also connects to a broader effort to recognize the history of residential schools in both Canada and the United States.
“It began in Canada, and we are uniting our efforts with theirs to spread awareness of this important campaign,” Ficaro said.
Ficaro said recognizing the truth of the experiences Indigenous children and families endured is an important part of moving forward.
“I think it's especially important that we empower our young people, our children, our students in sharing their voices, uplifting their voices, so that our students are at the center of this movement, of this event,” Ficaro said. “That’s incredibly important. And I'm so proud of all of our young people here.”
The community walk was part of a larger Orange Shirt Day celebration at De La Salle Blackfeet School that included a welcome, student presentations, lunch, breakout sessions, a showing of the movie Bones of Crows, a traditional feed, and an Orange Shirt Day Round Dance.
Students also created a special 2026 Every Child Matters T-shirt design, using their own message of remembrance, hope and community.
While Orange Shirt Day serves as a day of remembrance, students and educators in Browning say its message also looks toward the future — encouraging young people to understand their history, take pride in who they are, and recognize their own importance within their community.
For the students walking through Browning in orange, the message was both simple and personal: remembering the children who were lost, honoring those who continue to carry their stories and ensuring that every child matters.
