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Last fall, the opening notes of the song Jai Ho—“be victorious”—from the film Slumdog Millionaire erupted at Oklahoma’s Broken Arrow High School as students crossed the grassy quad between classes. In less than a minute, some 200 students of every class, size, race, sport and club had joined the ranks and were rocking the choreography. Schoolmates and teachers gathered to watch—laughing, whooping and joining local media in recording the surprise performance on their cell phones.
Within two minutes, the “flash mob” had dispersed. But its purpose still echoed off the walls: Get ready for Mix It Up at Lunch Day!
Thousands of schools have tried the Mix It Up at Lunch Day program since it started 10 years ago in 2001. Teaching Tolerance continues to get glowing reviews from around the country. “It’s the best day all year,” we were told by high school students in Plainview, N.Y. But teachers and administrators are also understandably eager to make their Mix Day better—to reach more students. How can you take your school’s Mix It Up at Lunch Day to the next level? Here are 10 proven ways to give Mix an extra stir.
Inspire Student Buy-In
Students, especially in middle schools
and high schools, are encouraged to
take leadership roles for planning and
implementing Mix It Up programs.
With clear adult guidance, they choose
the music and prizes, plan the dances
and other get-out-of-the-chair activities.
They also devise ice-breaker questions
and skits. As much as possible,
students coordinate with staff, administration
and outside groups like media
outlets—a useful Mix It Up activity in
itself. Established student groups like
student councils or diversity clubs usually
take the lead, smoothing the planning
process. But they also invite student
leaders from various cliques or
groups at school who can extend the
reach of Mix. Student Mix It Up leaders
are rewarded with movie passes and
other prizes, and they receive schoolwide
recognition.
Inspire Teacher and Staff
Involvement
Mix It Up programs offer natural opportunities
for teachers to connect with colleagues.
“Mix It Up is not only rewarding
to the students, but to the staff
as well,” says Shondra Jackson from
Austin Middle School in Galveston,
Texas. “There is something incredibly
refreshing about seeing 100 kids dancing
together to the Cupid Shuffle and
the Cha Cha Slide. Also, to witness … our
beloved cafeteria worker Ms. Tammy
dancing with our students in the circle,
to me is what mixing it up is all about.”
Effective organizers might invite several
colleagues from different grades,
departments and school services to
lunch—say two teachers, an administrator
and someone from the cafeteria.
Then they can explain Mix It Up and ask
their colleagues to join them. As the Mix
day approaches, organizers send staffwide
email blasts to remind colleagues
about the program’s value and to present
substantive ways people can offer
input, join in and otherwise support
the program. For students, few actions
better reinforce the Mix It Up message
than seeing teachers and staff enthusiastically
working together.
Reach Beyond the Walls
Some of the most effective Mix It Up
programs establish links beyond
the school building. Many Mix It
Up Model Schools invite school
board members, district administrators,
PTA members and news
organizations to take part. Most
local media outlets are thrilled to
promote positive stories about
young people. Involvement from
the wider community also sends
the message to students that
mixing it up matters.
Build the Buzz
Like any good ad campaign,
the lead-up to Mix It Up programs
builds buzz as the event
approaches. Many Mix It Up at
Lunch events emphasize a unifying
theme. School-wide interest
grows thanks to an accelerating
calendar of fast promotions
that use several different
media. These can include morning
announcements, flash mobs poster parties, bulletin boards, inschool
TV spots, in-class plugs, lunchroom
flyers, school website announcements,
parent newsletters, Facebook
posts, Tweets and other social media.
Prep Students and Teachers
Effective Mix It Up programs let students
and teachers know what to expect
and then prepare them for it. In-class
lessons, activities or theme-related videos
during the lead-up can help allay
student anxieties about hanging out
with classmates from beyond their regular
circle. Short skits as part of morning
announcements or during assemblies
can explain the purpose of Mix
and model positive interactions, perhaps
by previewing the quirky questions
of a Mix It Up ice-breaker. Also,
find a creative way to group students
during Mix It Up. Some schools group
students by birth month or the first
letters in their names. You can make
it even more random by handing out
playing cards or Starburst candies and
having students sit by those who share the same color. Keep it fun—get them
hooked on the event.
Make It A Big Deal
Experienced Mix It Up schools present
Mix It Up at Lunch Day as a major
change of pace from the same-old, sameold.
They may rearrange tables, transform
the cafeteria with decorations,
pipe in music and get a conga line going,
invite a speaker with a gift for talking to
young people or have a school film crew
capture the activities for an in-school
documentary. An inspired event that
leaves people grinning will have students
and teachers asking for more.
Ensure Everyone is In
Effective Mix organizers keep an eye
out for kids who are on the fringes—
wanting to participate but unable to get
in the flow. Student and staff leaders
are prepped for this eventuality and
are ready to step in and facilitate everyone’s
involvement. Some schools put a
student or adult facilitator at each table
to keep the conversation moving.
Repeat
Some schools reprise their Mix It Up at
Lunch two or three times a year. In fact,
some do it as often as once a week. The more frequently the program is practiced,
the easier it becomes to plan
and execute.
Follow Up and Change It Up
Schools that have had the most success
with Mix It Up follow up with other
events that reinforce the Mix message.
Wheeler Elementary School in Tucson,
Ariz., has a “Buddies Through the Year”
initiative that pairs older and younger
students for weekly lunches and playtime.
Middle and high schools may link
the lessons of Mix It Up into their No
Place for Hate school curriculum or take
part in National No Name-Calling Week.
Evaluate
Soon after the event, forward-looking
organizers solicit input from students,
teachers, administrators and other participants
about what worked and what
can be improved the next time around.
Evaluating the event shortly after
it takes place can generate new
insights and keep the event fresh
for everyone.
Bottom line? Mix It Up at Lunch Day works best when organizers 1) build a motivated team from across the school’s students, teachers, staff and administrators; 2) plan ahead to publicize the event and build enthusiasm; 3) evaluate and learn from experience—including the experiences of other schools; 4) add events that reinforce Mix It Up values.
From start to finish, schools that embrace Mix It Up at Lunch keep in mind that the motivation for mixing it up is serious, but the goal is fun and friendship. As a middle school Mix organizer in Zoarville, Ohio, told us, “I know it is a success because the kids ask to have more Mix It Up days all the time.”
The illustrations shown here are examples of our Mix It Up clip art.
