Salk Middle School Participates in 'Mix-it-Up at Lunch Day'

Story by Elizabeth Sobel.

Students at Salk Middle School in the Levittown School District recently left their comfort zones and socialized with unfamiliar peers during Mix It Up at Lunch Day.

Students nationwide have identified the cafeteria as a place where social divisions are most clearly drawn. Mix It Up at Lunch Day encourages students to identify, question and cross social boundaries and connect with a new friend over lunch.

Guidance chair and Mix It Up advisor Maura O’Sullivan explained that many students never take the time to introduce themselves to others who eat at the same table and are most likely to remain within their own social circle.

“This activity is designed to take students out of their comfort zones and have them meet other students,” she stated. 

During Mix It Up at Lunch Day, students were assigned to tables according to their birth months. They were each given an interview sheet and encouraged to talk to their new friends about their likes and dislikes, interests and activities. Each student was then prompted to write a sentence about their new friend on a poster board.                 

Sixth-graders Olivia Quitone and Ruby Hogan explained that they had met before, but had never really become acquainted. The girls were pleasantly surprised to find out that they had a lot of common interests.

“Olivia has a brother and participates in sports like me,” Ruby stated. “We will probably hang out after school now.”