The international campaign is aimed at getting students out of their comfort zone and encourages all students to identify, question and cross social boundaries. The organization Teaching Tolerance describes why Mix it Up Day is important.
“Students consistently identify the cafeteria as a place in their school where divisions are clearly—and harshly—drawn. So we ask students to move out of their comfort zones and connect with someone new over lunch. It’s a simple act with profound implications that we encourage educators to include in year-round efforts to promote healthy, welcoming school environments. Studies have shown that interactions across group lines can help reduce prejudice. When students interact with those who are different from them, biases and misperceptions can fall away.”
Students at QVMS were encouraged to sit somewhere new in the cafeteria and they had the chance to take part in activities during lunch.