Mix it Up - 2006.

[Michelle Celio]

My school is one of a couple I know about that is participating in the Mix it Up Activity this year.

For those of you who don't know what mix it up is, it can be basically be described as several in class activities to help "brake down the walls" that divide today's schools. These events lead up to the main Mix it Up event, which takes place on November 14, 2006 during the lunch time of perhaps millions of students.

At my school, we have had activities where we filled out a survey about how and why we think our school is divided, and things that could be done to change that matter. We've also diagrammed out our cafeteria and wrote where we sat on a daily basis to see which people tend to group together. We have had class discussions about controversial issues and why we think they affect the social grouping the most of us tend to do unconsciously.

During the lunch time, students are asked to sit a table different from where they normally sit, with people they may have never spoken to before, be it for choice or they've never had the opportunity.

More information can be found at http://www.mixitup.org/.
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When my school first introduced us to the idea, I was with the majority of the students having a skeptical attitude that the whole idea was stupid and pointless that it was going to get us anywhere. Since we've started doing the activities it has changed my opinion about the whole concept. It helps get students to relate to each other. I've always tended to be somewhat of an outsider, I've had the same friends since freshman year, sat at the same table since then too. We're the group of people that get stereotyped as the unsocial group. Having this activity at our school, has helped me realized that people outside my group of friends really aren't that cold-hearted and mean as I thought they were.

This activity may not completely do the job of helping students get along and eliminating creating potentially dangerous situations and who's to say that one thing will ever accomplish that. But I feel that this activity will help accomplish that.

I want to help get the word out there about this program. Even if some people don't take the program seriously, it could have tremendous affects on the ones that do.
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I'm looking for other FIRSTers who's schools are participating in this activity.


What is your school doing to promote this activity?
How do you feel about this activity?
If your school does not participate in this activity, do you think it would be a good idea / would you be willing to help get it started for next year?
Do you think this activity helps "break down the walls" that socially exist in schools?
Are there any aspects of FIRST that you believe also encourage the desegregation of today's youth?



Thank you you everyone for your time

and since this post may be a little boring...here is a penguin.