Fifth-grader Nati Camargo made it his mission to make sure that no student at Robert R. Rojas Elementary School felt left out during lunchtime.
As part of No One Eats Alone Day in February, Camargo encouraged his fellow Roadrunners to welcome new friends into their social circle at school.
“(No One Eats Alone Day) helps students build new friendships, and more people can feel included and valued,” said Camargo, president of the school’s student council. “I like that because there's a lot of people who are suffering from isolation, and we need to bring them in more.”
Rojas Elementary School was one of 12 schools in Texas selected to host events celebrating No One Eats Alone Day on Feb. 16, a nationwide prevention initiative created by the nonprofit Beyond Differences®, to foster inclusion and a culture of belonging in schools. Students learn about social isolation and the negative impact it can have on mental health, while being encouraged to make new friends.
With support from Superior HealthPlan, the school kicked off the initiative with a weeklong celebration, beginning Feb. 12. Fifth-graders gathered in the school's cafeteria, where they participated in ice breakers, asking each other questions to get to know each other better, like, would you rather live without Netflix or YouTube? They posted uplifting messages on a mural of a tree for other students to read. Throughout the week, they had lunch with students from the lower grades to create a welcoming environment.
Rojas Elementary School Principal Jennifer Marquez said the No One Eats Alone initiative complemented the district’s focus on social-emotional learning (SEL) to help students feel secure, connected, and eager to learn.
“It's really important for Socorro ISD to offer this opportunity to our students because we have such a heavy focus on SEL,” Marquez said. “After COVID, it's been something that all the campuses have really focused on making sure that students feel comfortable when they're here and that they feel included.”
A study by Beyond Differences indicated that when students are provided programs to learn about social isolation and given the tools to connect with classmates, nearly 85 percent of the students felt empowered to be leaders and create a culture of acceptance and belonging at their school.
Alyssa Ching, director of National Programs at Beyond Differences, attended the event and challenged students to make new friends and make new connections during the week.
“I want to thank you so much,” Ching said to the students. “What you are doing really helps people that feel socially isolated, and its part of being a part of a community to make sure that everyone feels a sense of belonging.”
Fifth-grader Alexandria Renteria said she was excited to participate in the initiative, which helped students like her break out of their shells.
“What I like the most is that it gets kids out of their comfort zone to talk to new people," Renteria said. "I like that because students get to experience new things with others and see who is a better influencer and what kids are a good group to hang out with."