Students learn to ‘Respect Everyone Despite Odds’
ReDo Day staff said, “The premise of ReDo Day is to provide students with the opportunity to realize they possess the power to make permanent, positive, cultural change in their schools and communities. At the end of the day students are asked to develop a ‘Take Action Plan’ to help them move forward with positive behaviors that both give and get respect. These activities are instrumental in breaking down stereotypes and fostering connections between students.”
Have you ever wanted to make amends with someone you stopped talking to or find common ground with your fellow students? On Fri., Nov. 6, students participating in ReDo Day did just that.
‘Respect Everyone Despite Odds’ day is held annually for 50 students in each grade. The purpose of the day is to unite students, even those who do not like each other, with respect and understanding.
Sophomore Yvanna Reyes said, “It honestly sounds like an amazing, cleansing experience. I was really excited to see what came of it.”
Through storytelling, small and large group activities, each student revealed their own experiences and found out about others’ to initiate understanding, break down stereotypical barriers, and teach them how to embrace diversity between them.
Sophomore Thea Ferdinand said, “You can be in classes with others for four, five, six years and still not know them at all. The most you know is that they are in all accelerated classes or get bad grades in English. I do not want that to be the case.”
Sensitive topics brought up throughout the day break student’s emotional walls, helping initiate and mend relationships.
Ferdinand said, “What I really think this day will accomplish is bringing students together. Learning that we all have deeper issues and have a lot to deal with is a good way to realize that we are all the same at heart, despite our outward differences.”
