By Lily Lovette and Peter Stefo--Eagle Staff Writers
Have you ever seen someone sitting alone? Studies have shown that 22% of U.S. citizens tend to feel lonely. This can extend to students as well, No One Eats Alone Day works to combat this problem.
No One Eats Alone Day has been an ongoing program brought by Beyond Differences, a nonprofit organization for countless schools nationwide. It’s meant to be a day that brings awareness to the effects of social struggles in school settings, encouraging students to reach out and make new connections to their peers.
“This cause is important because we want to promote inclusiveness school wide,” Keisha Thornton, a guidance counselor at FCHS explained.
The club "Shades of Red" and the Executive Board brought this project to FCHS. On February 16th there were booths in both school cafeterias in all four lunch
periods. The booths held cards with corresponding colors based on grade levels. Students were presented with a question about themselves that they would answer on their card. Such as, "If you could change our school colors what would you change it to?" With all the answers a colorful mural was created to be hung in both cafeterias, showing that all students and staff are more alike than it seems.
“[Students] have fun and they get to learn a little more about other people," junior Sarah Rafael-Javier said. “They can write things they like and other people can see them when we hang them in the lunchroom."
This day shows that there are ways to connect our student body and be reminded that we are all here for each other.
As Thornton concluded, “FCHS is a place where everyone belongs.”