As one of the most awkward and uncomfortable days unique to Fossil Ridge, Diversity Day is also one of the most impactful, encouraging self-growth and a positive open minded attitude among students.
Diversity Day is dedicated for both students and teachers to take the time and effort to make strong connections with one another, creating a supportive and accepting environment. It is a day that increases awareness of all the differences within Fossil and beyond, promoting a better understanding and appreciation for every unique individual.
Organizations such as Diversity Leadership Awareness, Culture Team, and Sabercat Studios spent many months preparing this special experience for the school. Focusing on helping Fossil break down barriers and become even more participatory, “Be In, All In” served as the underlying theme for this years Diversity Day. Teacher Cadets and Student Council, along with Yearbook were other supporting organizations that made Diversity Day possible.
“Our goal for this school wide project was to be impactful and build relationships and I was glad to see that happening,” said Melissa Vasa, a counselor and sponsor of DLA. Freshmen and upper class Advisory classes were combined, blurring separations between grades. As students learned more about their partners in interactives and grew to respect diversity, first impressions, stereotypes, and judgmental mindsets became more distant.
Sabercat Studios and DLA presented “Through My Eyes,” a documentary featuring five students, portraying their defining characteristics and the misconceptions of their peers. The students shared many personal thoughts on diversity empowering the audience to have a sense of empathy and new outlooks. “We are very proud of our documentary. There were a lot of man hours put into this production and I was able to see many people stepping up taking leadership roles,” stated Colby Ripsam, a co-lead producer of the film. Rafael Souza the second co-lead producer also agreed, “Producing something that impacts every person in school and allowing students to take a second look at others was definitely worth the effort.”
Although many students admitted to being distant and unwelcoming to the interactions at first, they began to become more interested and to appreciate the opportunity to see through the eyes of one another. As students gifted a portion of their lives by spending time with each other, Fossil became even more diverse with new perspectives and a new positive attitude toward diversity.
Brendan Gallagher, the sponsor of Sabercat Studios stated, “Students took ownership of the entire day. They showed their peers how to approach the world in different ways and that really empowered the whole school.”
To watch the documentary click the video below.
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