Green Shirt Day - School events and activities

What is Green Shirt Day all about?

In April 2018, Canadians rallied together in support of the victims, survivors and families of the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash that took place in Saskatchewan. Many students and teachers took part by placing hockey sticks in front of their classrooms and wearing their jerseys to school. In 2019, the family of Logan Boulet held the first annual national Green Shirt Day in honour of their son Logan and the Broncos family. They aimed to increase awareness about the importance of organ donation and honour Logan’s precious gift. This highly impactful annual campaign is known as Green Shirt Day and takes place on April 7. 

Green Shirt Day and the Logan Boulet Effect from Canadian Blood Services OTDT on Vimeo.

Weeks before Logan Boulet was fatally injured in the Broncos bus crash, he had registered his decision to be an organ donor and discussed his decision with friends and family. The 21-year old defenseman went on to save six lives through his generous gifts. In the weeks that followed, Logan’s story inspired more than 150,000 Canadians to become registered organ donors. This became known as the “Logan Boulet Effect”. Today, the Boulet family continues to champion that spirit of giving through Green Shirt Day.

Logan generously do nated his heart, lungs, liver, both kidneys, and corneas. His gifts helped SIX people who were waiting for a transplant.

Your school and family can join the Canadian organ and tissue donation community in championing this movement of hope and inspiration by wearing green on April 7 and spreading the word online. Show your support for Green Shirt Day #GreenShirtDay, #TogetherStrong, #LoganBouletEffect, #organstissuesforlife.

These Green Shirt Day teacher resources include helpful tips and information for elementary and secondary school educators. Use the many tools and resources on this website to support your lesson plan, assembly or event to recognize Green Shirt Day, learn about organ donation and helping others and continue Logan's legacy. 

Videos, lesson plans and other materials to support your teaching, event planning, or discussions are linked at the bottom of this page. Find stories, curriculum resources and other tools from your region and around the world by browsing this portal.

How can my school get involved in Green Shirt Day? 

On April 7, or the most appropriate school day, students and teachers are encouraged to wear green shirts in support of Green Shirt Day and organ donation awareness.

For students at all grade levels, the main message is one of inspiration and hope. Visit GreenShirtDay.ca and Be Inspired.

Elementary school teachers and parents

Elementary school educators and parents can introduce the Orgamites to their class to help students understand their mighty organs, how they can save lives and how to keep them mighty healthy. The All About Our Mighty Organs : Orgamites Teacher Toolkit incorporates Logan's story, as a powerful Canadian example of how people can be mighty kind and save other people's lives with a generous gift of an organ they no longer need them. 

Download the Orgamites Green Shirt Day Colouring Sheet. 

Play the Green Shirt Day Coin Hockey Challenge. 

Junior and High School Educators 

Educators of higher-grade level students can incorporate Green Shirt Day and organ donation discussions in the classroom. Social responsibility, media studies, health and wellness, biology, civics, philosophy and religion are among subject areas where organ donation and transplant can be discussed.

Some examples of discussion topics include:

• Green Shirt Day is the result of an inspiring story going viral on social media. Discuss with students and examine the short- and long-term impacts of a story like this going “viral”.
• Mainstream media interest in Logan’s story was profound and prolific. Search news reports and videos from 2018 and 2019, review and discuss the media coverage and its impact.
• Discuss the concept of altruism in connection with Logan Boulet’s gifts of life. What does it mean to be altruistic? What are examples of altruism?

Get crafty: Participate in Light It Up Green and make a green paper lantern at home or with your students: How to Make an Easy Paper Lantern

To aid a discussion on altruism, social responsibility and human sustainability 

What is altruism?

Altruism (or selflessness) is concern for the well-being of others. A truly altruistic act is something done completely for the benefit of another, without concern for the self.

Consider the following questions:

• What does altruism mean to you and how are you altruistic?
• What can you do to be more altruistic?
• Would you want to be an organ donor?
• Has organ donation or transplant had an impact on your family?
• How does the decision to become an organ donor affect those in our world and community?

What is social responsibility?

Social responsibility is the recognition that everyone should be contributing members of the local and global community. 

• What are examples of being socially responsible? (i.e. respecting public health measures)

What is human sustainability?

Human sustainability can be thought of as a plan to efficiently use resources to meet current and future human needs. The human body is a valuable resource that contributes to this sustainability. Donation of blood products, stem cells, tissues, and organs can be considered as human recycling through which people can help others. 

Kitchen Table Talk Conversation Starters

Starting a conversation about death or dying is hard. Most of us avoid talking about sad things but  Green Shirt Day is a good day to break the ice. Take a conversation starter home and talk it through with your friends and family.

Sharing your thoughts about what you want to happen at the end of your life is really important – including your feelings and decisions about organ and tissue donation.

Having these discussions before a tragedy happens is a gift to you and your family in a time of grief and sadness. Your family won't be left guessing.

Logan told his dad his wish to be an organ donor if ever anything bad happened him. Knowing Logan’s decision helped his family support that decision when tragedy struck.

Leave your family certain. Talk about it.

Here are a few ways to start the conversation about donation at your kitchen table:

• “Have you heard about the Logan Boulet Effect. We talked about it at school today. Even though Logan Boulet died, he saved 6 people’s lives by donating his organs. People were so touched by his story, more than 100,000 people registered their decision about organ donation…”
• “Today was Green Shirt Day at school. We talked about Logan Boulet and how he became an organ donor after the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. It was sad. But also happy because he was able to help other people…”
•  “Did you know that today there are about 4,400 Canadians waiting for an organ transplant? A sick person can get better if they get an organ from someone else…”
• “Do we know anyone who needs or has ever had an organ transplant?

The purpose of Green Shirt Day is to honour and remember all the victims and families involved in the Humboldt tragedy, as well as to continue Logan’s legacy of inspiring Canadians to register as organ and tissue donors so even in tragedy, lives can be saved.

Green Shirt Day shows that there is always hope, even in the most tragic situations.

Green Shirt Day is an opportunity for Canadians to show their support to the Humboldt Broncos and to donor families everywhere.

Each province in Canada has a different way to register one’s intent to become an organ and tissue donor. Visit blood.ca/organs-tissues to learn more