Cosgrove Middle School students participated in Mix-it-Up lunch on November 2, when they were given a card upon entering the cafeteria which corresponded to an assigned table.Cosgrove Middle School students participated in the Mix-it-Up lunch campaign on November 2, when they sat at a different table than their norm. Mix-it-Up is a national effort launched a decade ago to encourage students to identify, question and cross social boundaries.
Students nationwide have acknowledged the cafeteria as the place where divisions are most clearly drawn. So on Mix-it-Up day, students move out of their comfort zones and connect with someone new over lunch with the hope that interactions across group lines can help reduce social barriers and foster new friendships.
Cosgrove Principal Ned Dale said, “Mix-it-Up day was another planned activity to increase the students’ ability to connect to other students. We have spent time focusing on the concept of tolerance and it is important for students to become familiar with people other than their primary group of friends. Statistics also show that if more students have more connections to more students, the likelihood of bullying decreases. I was proud of how our students handled the seating changes.”
