Mix It Up at Lunch Day

September 7, 2011

Dear Friend,

National Mix It Up at Lunch Day is set for Oct. 18, just six weeks away. Now is the perfect time to start planning to join thousands of other schools dedicated to creating inclusive climates where all students can thrive.

This Teaching Tolerance initiative, designed to reduce prejudice and improve intergroup relations, asks students to break out of their normal social circles and connect with someone new over lunch. It’s a simple act with profound implications; social scientists have proven that positive interaction across racial and ethnic lines reduces prejudice.

Want to join a campaign with a 10-year track record that included more than 3,000 schools nationwide last year?

The first step is easy. Add your school to our online Mix It Up at Lunch Map.

Right away, we’ll start sending you links to free online materials to help you plan and enjoy Mix It Up at Lunch Day on Oct. 18, plus ideas to extend the Mix It Up energy throughout the year. (Want to find out more? Visit our FAQ page about Mix It Up.)

Thanks for making a difference in your students’ lives.

Sincerely,

Maureen B. Costello

Director, Teaching Tolerance

[Editor’s Note: In their “Six Steps to Mixing It Up at Lunch,” the SPLC advises teachers and administrators planning the event to “Make It Festive.” One way to do so, they recommend, is a flashmob:

What about a flashmob?

Consider a flashmob in the cafeteria, the week before the event.

At the elementary level, teachers and other staff members could perform the flashmob.

For middle and high schools, involve choirs or bands for a flashmob, then hand out fliers letting students know that Mix It Up at Lunch is coming next week.

(If you do a flashmob, capture it on video and post it on our Facebook page!)

Though we at AR expect few readers will participate in Mix It Up at Lunch Day, we would encourage readers to post videos of “flashmobs” as comments to various posts on the “Teaching Tolerance” Facebook page.]