B-R students Ashley Thomas, 14, and Amanda Thomas, 19

BSC participants 'in the mix': (left to right) Nick Pirelli, Joe Keaney, Kaitlyn Greeley, Shannon Haluch and Peter Quinn

Have Music, Will Travel

Posted on November 25, 2008 - Permalink
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Each year, the students at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School get a chance to mix it up. That is, spend their lunch break with a fellow student who to them is a total stranger.

The goal of national Mix it Up at Lunch Day, held earlier this month at B-R, and simultaneously at 10,000 other U.S. schools, is to get students to reach out and get to know someone new.

"It's an attempt to get them to be aware of others and to break down barriers," said Shirley Wood, an art teacher at B-R, and one of the organizers of the annual event, along with social studies teacher Bob Costa.

Each of the past six years, B-R officials have had to hire a disc jockey for the event. This year, Bridgewater State College's student radio station WBIM went remote and provided the tunes.

Also, some of the college's student leaders were on hand, fulfilling another important role.

"It's great having them here as models," said Susan McCombe, director of the college's Office of College and Community Partnerships, who arranged BSC's participation in the event.

One thing seemed clear, student Amanda Thomas, 19, a B-R senior, enjoyed the Mix it Up event. She spent her lunch with freshman Ashley Thomas (no relation), and others.

"We talked about a lot of good things," she said.

(Story and photos by John Winters, Office of Institutional Communications)