Teaching Tolerance is proud to announce the names of 76 2017 Mix It Up Model Schools! These schools earned Model School designation for exemplary planning and execution of Mix It Up at Lunch Day and for their efforts to foster respect and understanding throughout the 2016-17 school year.
“We are extremely proud to recognize these schools,” says Maureen Costello, director of Teaching Tolerance. “They wholeheartedly embraced the spirit of the day and the values we promote through Teaching Tolerance—empathy, kindness and respect for differences. They not only set a great example for other schools but for the world.”
Mix It Up at Lunch Day began in 2002. Based on social psychology research, the initiative seeks to break down social barriers that can lead to conflicts, bullying and harassment. Many schools plan activities for the entire day, and some use the event to kick off yearlong efforts to overcome social divisions.
To qualify as a Model School, each school hosted Mix It Up at Lunch Day, which encourages students to sit with someone new in the cafeteria for just one day. They also followed up with at least two additional programs or events to sustain positive school culture, involved different members of the school community, promoted the event through multiple channels and reported that students viewed the program as a success.
Students at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California, coordinated their school’s entire Mix It Up at Lunch Day. They distributed nametags with random group assignments to seat students next to classmates they don’t usually eat with at lunch. Conversation-starter questions and games encouraged discussion. The students were soon laughing with their new friends.
Speaking of new friends, the students in early grades at Creative Minds International Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., were particularly excited to lunch with peers in different grade levels. Says one young student, “It was so fun! We got to eat with third-graders!”
At the Akoyikoyi School in the Federated States of Micronesia—a three-time Model School—accepting others and combating bullying was the theme of its most recent Mix It Up event, the fifth for the school. Students from nearby Xavier High School spoke about their respective home countries, which include the Federated States of Micronesia, the Philippines, Tahiti and American Samoa. Afterward, students discussed the event in class, reporting that it was a positive experience.
Read about more inspiring Mix It Up Model School events, and don't forget to put next year's Mix It Up at Lunch Day on the calendar: The 2017 date is October 31. “We encourage all schools to participate,” Costello says. “Mix It Up at Lunch Day can be an eye-opening experience for students.” Registration will open soon!