Unity Day

Unity Day was an event that took place in the middle of October 2021.  The event replaced a few hours of learning with team building activities, and it cost 25 dollars to attend.  All three grades (at separate times) participated in a series of games meant to help students build trust and compatibility with one another.  

However, after Unity Day ended, there were mixed opinions flying all around the school.  Opinions ranged from people finding Unity Day useless, to people loving it.  Many students were also upset about the cost of the day.  I decided to interview some students on their opinions of Unity Day.

When asked what their favorite aspect of the day was, students seemed to like the break from learning.  Especially after the return to entirely in person school, many students welcomed a chance to take a step back from the work.  A sixth grader responded, “My favorite part was the fact that we didn’t have school, homework, or didn’t have to learn”.  Other students said that they liked the game, “Bodyguard”, which was one of the games played at Unity Day.  

When asked about their least favorite aspects of Unity Day, the students had some very interesting feedback.  While one student stated that the overall experience was entirely positive, with no least favorite aspects, others critiqued the day.  An eighth grader stated, “I would’ve had a better time if I chose who I could work with”.  Another student described the activities, saying they “weren’t fun, didn’t have a point, and were not team building”.  

For many students, a downside of the day was the amount of money that we had to pay for Unity Day.  Many students stated their unhappiness with the money at school after Unity day.  An eighth grade student explained, “The 25 dollars changed how I thought about Unity Day a lot.  If not for the fact that it cost $25, I would’ve enjoyed Unity Day much more than I did”, and also added, “It should not have cost $25.”  Another student said they paid “$25 for not a very good experience”.  However, some kids did not mind the money.  When asked about their opinion on the cost of Unity Day, a seventh grader answered, “The amount of money may have been a bit much, but I still enjoyed the day”.  

And as for the main point of Unity Day, whether or not it actually brought students closer together, students had a range of opinions.  One seventh grader said that Unity Day did help unify because it “taught us to trust each other”.  However, another student thought almost the opposite, stating, “I don’t think Unity day brought my classmates closer together. In fact I actually think it got everyone mad at each other because it was unfair and very competitive”.  

While the majority of the responses were negative, there were definitely positive views of Unity Day.  Considering the school has asked for student feedback, it seems the school is on the way to improving Unity Day so it can be a good experience for as many students as possible!