STUDENTS AT DURANGO HIGH SCHOOL SET TO CROSS SOCIAL BOUNDARIES

Special “Mix It Up at Lunch Day” Activities Scheduled

Durango High School students will join more than 2 million other students across the country to cross social and racial boundaries during the week of November 8-12, 2010, as part of the ninth annual Mix It Up at Lunch Day, an event designed to foster respect and understanding in schools.

Mix It Up encourages students to sit with someone new in the cafeteria for just one day.  Many schools are planning similar barrier-busting activities throughout the day.  Some use the event to kick off a year-long exploration of social divisions.  Students are encouraged to step out of their box and take time out of their busy schedules to get to know someone new.  More than 5,000 schools are expected to participate in this year’s Mix It Up at Lunch Day, which is sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance project.

Student organizers agree that Mix It Up at Lunch Day encourages students to cross group lines and meet new people.  Mix It Up also fosters school spirit, unity and raises awareness.Sponsored by the Durango Educational Alliance for Multicultural Achievement (Del Alma), the Prejudice Elimination Action Team (“PEAT”) is a fully recognized DHS activity that will be spearheading the planning of this event at DHS.PEAT participates in the Anti-Defamation League’s “A World of Difference” peer training program annually.  The two-day training provides students the opportunity to examine their own biases, learn how bias turns to prejudice and discrimination, and learn how to present this information to peers.  By engaging in the training, peer trainers learn how to respond effectively when they hear racial slurs, name-calling and put-downs in the hallways, lunchrooms and classrooms. The goal is to eliminate the stereotypes that lead to hate by teaching respect for humankind.  Students are then given the tools to go out into our community and help others do the same.

The Southern Poverty Law Center launched Teaching Tolerance in 1991 to provide educators with free resources designed to reduce prejudice and promote respect for differences among our nation’s children. The Mix It Up program began in 2002.  For more information about PEAT at DHS or Mix It Up at Lunch Day, contact Maria Gonzales at 970-259-1630, ext. 2196.