School ‘mixes it up’ to add power to lunch

By Eileen Oldfield Staff Writer
   Yankees or Red Sox?
   Who is your favorite Jonas brother?
   New Jersey has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to as the diner capital of the world.
   Controversial questions and fun facts such as these fueled Auten Road Intermediate Students’ lunchtime discussions Nov. 13, though the school’s “Mix It Up at Lunch” seated students away from their typical group of friends.
   Part of a national campaign, the “Mix It Up at Lunch” aims to break perceived boundaries students may have, and help them develop friendships with students who are outside their typical social circles.
   The event is an annual tradition at the school, guidance counselor Angela Cleveland said, with the teachers on the Character Education Committee and students in the Character Counts Club planning the event.
   ”Last year, when I first started as a counselor here, Karen Coviello, the vice principal, excitedly told me about this special day,” Ms. Cleveland said. “Her passion for infusing positive character into the school is contagious, and I quickly found myself wrapped up in her enthusiasm for the event.”
   ”It’s not so easy to step outside of our comfort zone and talk to people with whom we don’t normally eat lunch,” Ms. Cleveland said. “However, an important life skill is being able to connect with others different from ourselves. Our would is filled with a colorful assortment of amazing people, and sometimes it just takes a little push for us to realize that maybe that quiet boy in science class has a great sense of humor once you get to know him.”
   With many companies seeking employees who can relate to colleagues, work in teams, and connect with people different from themselves, the day provides an opportunity for students to develop these critical skills.
   During their lunch Nov. 13, students received a colored shape upon entering the cafeteria. The students matched the shapes to balloons placed on each lunch table, which determined where the students ate lunch that day, Ms. Cleveland said.
   Upon sitting at the tables, the students found several conversation starters attached to the tables’ centerpieces, which included science facts, New Jersey history tidbits, and questions designed to start discussion.
   Mixing it up wasn’t just a single-day event, however. Ms. Cleveland said the Character Counts Club created a “Be a Buddy” bulletin board, which shared quotes about friendship and additional conversation starters. The club took the efforts to the school’s airwaves for two days also, explaining the event during the school’s morning announcements.
   The club members decorated the cafeteria for the day, created the centerpieces, and ran the event during their individual lunch periods, Ms. Cleveland said.
   ”It might sound complicated to run a program like this one in a school with nearly 1,200 students, but we keep it very simple and streamlined,” Ms. Cleveland said.