The Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee (PMAC) hosted a library lock-in on Friday, November 5th. There were about 40 students who attended and spent the day participating in team building activities and meaningful dialogue. 

The students apart of PMAC planned and put together the entire day, with the help of the club’s sponsor Mrs. Reenee Dragoutsis. They provided breakfast and got a donation from the school to provide pizza for lunch. 

“The most enjoyable parts for me were any time we got to kind of unwind and just take a step back from all of the stress of the school week. I also really enjoyed the breakfast,” said Tina Gudovic (‘24)

There were some activities inspired by the ones in past library lock-ins as well as some new ones. Students participated in a 15 minute meditation after a lesson on mental health. The purpose of this meditation was to give students an example of something simple they could do to reduce stress or take a mental health break. 

“I have previously practiced meditation but I still enjoyed that we got to practice it as a group and we were all comfortable enough to meditate and relax alongside one another,” said Raven Schvartz (‘23)

Students also participated in the human knot challenge where students stand in a circle and lock hands with someone across from them and their goal is to maneuver their way back into a perfect circle while still holding hands.

“I liked the human knot that would be my favorite part,” said Kyra Merchant (‘23)

“The human knot was an activity I’ve done a few times before so I understand the cooperation and learning skills from that activity,” said Allison Enriquez (‘22)

The goal of the lock-in was to include students in meaningful conversations around inclusivity and mental health. The students got a chance to connect with others they might have never talked to before and relate on a deeper level.

“The parts that I found enjoyable was the talks of important topic and inclusiveness, and I would most definitely do it again, it was really fun,” said Merchant (‘23)

“I loved getting to meet new people and having a break from my classes because I attended the lock-in,” said Enriquez (‘22)

The diversity of the students present along with their enthusiasm to participate created a safe and welcoming environment for students to share and connect with one another. 

“An aspect that was new to me was the feeling of feeling completely comfortable and welcome in a setting. I learned that we were all so different and we come from all walks of life but we were still capable of holding positive space for each other,” said Schvartz (‘23)

Overall the lock in was a huge success. The students who participated left with a greater understanding of their peers, finding out they might have more in common than they thought.