Middle Gate Elementary School hosted a special “Mix-It-Up Day” on September 30 to help students make more friends.

As each grade level ate lunch, educators and volunteers ran the event.

A description for the day explained, “Mix-It-Up Day allows our Middle Gate students the opportunity to sit with other peers at lunch. The tables are labeled in the lunchroom and students receive a slip of paper with the color of a table as they enter. The students then go to that particular table so they never know with whom they will be eating lunch. The purpose of this event is to have our students meet new people and improve intergroup relations by having them step out of their comfort zones and make new connections.”

When the students answered the questions, it facilitated talk at each of the tables.

Questions included, “Would you rather slide down a rainbow or jump on clouds?” “Would you rather talk to animals or read people’s minds?” And, “Would you rather have five good friends or one best friend?”

Middle Gate lead teacher John Sullivan read each question for the first grade student lunch wave, and counselor Melissa Arsenault greeted the group.

Arsenault shared that similar Mix-It-Up days will be held once a month this school year. She added that now that the students have made more friends, they have more students to play with and talk to when outside for recess.

Then students took turns answering questions and speaking to one another about their responses.

Education Editor Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.