Students in the Elk Grove Unified School District are being asked to mix up their social circles as part of National Mix It Up Day. 
The day is designed to encourage students to be friendly with classmates they don’t know.
Steve Winlock, an associate superintendent with the district, says he hopes students will recognize and accept the economic, religious and ethnic differences of their peers:

What is hoped during that time, is that they develop conversations and understandings of each other during that time.
 
National Mix It Up Day is sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center to promote tolerance and understanding.
At Elk Grove Unified a number of activities are planned.  For example, students will be assigned to different lunch periods and given a treat if they sit with classmates they don’t know.