The stories of residential schools aren't going away.
Ethel Thomas, a residential school survivor gave an empowering speech to the students and staff of Salmon Arm Secondary, Jackson campus Friday morning.
"I was six years old when the priest came and took us away. I remember seeing my mother standing on the step, watching us," she said through tears.
The Enderby resident was taken from her home for the first time she estimated, in 1951 and was shipped to a residential school in Cranbrook.
"They stood me up in a chair and cut my braids off. They did that with all the kids, cut their hair."
She was also treated poorly, separated from her brother, and forced to eat food off of the ground.
She recalled eating a piece of meat and disliking it so she spat it out. Her supervisor told her to pick it up and eat it. When she spat it onto the ground again, because of the taste, she was forced to pick it up and to make sure she swallowed the whole thing.
"I remember going to bed at night and feeling so lonely. I used to cry myself to sleep," she said.
The 72 year old wants people to understand the situation that the First Nations went through.
"There was a time in my life where I did consider suicide," she said, adding that this was the first time she was giving any detail about her history in the residential school to her family.
The last residential school closed in Saskatchewan in 1996.
Splatsin Indian Band Chief Wayne Christian shared powerful words and was one of three First Nations chiefs in attendance.
"This event is important because the school district trustees agreed to the truth and reconciliation recommendation, so this event is to mark that recognition."
"(It's) for the students to know and understand the hardships and what the impact the residential school had primarily on our parents and our grandparents. The residential schools really intended to kill the indian in the child. Our message today is that our families are still here."
The ceremony honoured those who attended the residential schools, students performed a drum song with their elders, and a short video was shown telling the story of how Orange Shirt Day started.
The story of the orange shirt started in 1973 with Phyllis Jack Webstad from Williams Lake, who was stripped of her proudly-worn orange shirt when she was sent to residential school. In 2013, Sept. 30 the shirt became an official symbol to honour residential school survivors, and those who did not make it.
Orange Shirt Day, Sept. 30, is designated for truth and reconciliation for the residential school survivors.
Tasia Thomas, a Grade 12 student, was part of a drum ceremony.
The 18 year old donned an orange shirt for her grandmother, who is a residential-school survivor.
It's to show her I'm honouring her," she said.
Superintendent Glenn Borthistle addressed the crowd of students.
"Stories change history, stories change lives," he said.