Kids switched up their lunch scene during Brentwood High School’s Mix It Up Day on Nov. 15, hosted in both Sonderling and Ross Cafeterias. Staff members wore wacky, mixed-up clothing to help promote the event.

Mix It Up Day is an international campaign that encourages students to get out of their comfort zones and stretch their boundaries through the simple act of “mixing up” their seats in the lunchroom.

“School cafeterias are the focus of Mix It Up because that’s where schools’ social boundaries are most obvious,” said Dr. Mitchner, sonderling school psychologist.

With enticing activities, Mix It Up Day aims at creating a better school climate where students can become more familiar with one another. The less students feel like strangers, the more they feel that they belong.

“It provides an opportunity for students who tend to sit alone during lunchtime to feel connected and meet a new lunch buddy,” Dr. Mitchner said.

At the event, students had the opportunity to win $25 Visa gift cards, free pizza coupons for a free pizza and soda available at Amore Pizza, and coupons for a free 2-week MMA lesson towards Victory Mixed Martial Arts.

“Each student was given a raffle ticket…approximately 10 prizes were raffled off per lunch period.  One lucky student, per lunch period, per cafeteria won the Visa gift card,” Dr. Mitchner said.

Mix It Up Day was planned by a select committee made up of BHS faculty and some seniors who were involved in setting up for and facilitating the event. The staff members involved include: Dr. Mitchner & Ms. Ferro-Quinn (school psychologists), Ms. Ponce, Mr. Beltran, Mr. Portillo, and Mrs. Marlyn Garcia (social workers). The seniors received community service hours for their time.

“[The administrative team] also embraced the idea from the start and was directly involved with the planning of the event,” Dr. Mitchner said.

Students were “actively engaged” within the structured activities. However, Dr. Mitchner added that there was definitely room for improvements next year.

“Adaptations and adjustments will be made based on the feedback from everyone – the students who were actively involved in implementing the event, as well as staff and  students who observed or participated in the event,” Dr. Mitchner said.