Mars Area School District will commemorate Children’s Grief Awareness Day (Thursday, Nov. 17) by asking students, teachers and staff members to wear the color blue.

The purpose of the day is to create awareness about the needs of grieving children because of the loss of a parent, sibling or another close family member and to show support for those students in the District’s schools.

Students at Mars Area Primary Center will join a lesson centered around the children’s book, “My Blue is Happy” by Jessica Young, and will complete a butterfly coloring page activity.

In their STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art  Mathematics) classes, Mars Area Elementary School fourth-graders are making Children’s Grief Awareness Day videos, which will be compiled and presented to the entire school on Thursday, Nov. 17. Students will also receive a butterfly cutout on which they can add encouraging messages or pictures or write the name of a person or animal whom they have lost.

Mars Area Centennial School will make announcements regarding Children’s Grief Awareness Day and grief-related books will be highlighted in the school’s library. And, students will have an opportunity to add butterflies to a memorial wall.

In their art classes, all elementary students will also be invited to participate in The Caring Place poster contest. All contest submissions must be submitted to the appropriate art teacher or school counselor by no later than Friday, Jan. 20.

For more information, contact the individual school building or visit www.childrensgriefawarenessday.org.