By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

LIBERTY TWP. - Senior Megan Zimmerman won't be eating lunch Tuesday with her usual group of friends at Lakota East High School.

Instead, 17-year-old Megan will be sitting in an assigned seat with students she may never have met before. It will be her mission to make sure those at her table are comfortable and talking.

As part of the school's Celebrate Diversity Week, students will participate in the Mix It Up At Lunch Day, an effort aimed at getting students to meet others not like themselves. An estimated 10 percent of Lakota's district-wide population is African-American, Asian or Hispanic.

"It's obvious there are groups and always will be groups in high school,'' said Megan, who is going to be a facilitator. "I think this is a great idea to get everybody together.''

About 560 students - roughly one-third of the school - have signed up to sit at a different table, said teacher Lisa Schmaltz. Students will be randomly assigned to tables.

"Kids tend to congregate with kids that are like them. This is an opportunity to reach out to kids in other kinds of groups, an opportunity to embrace diversity," Schmaltz said.

Senior Mike May said it's especially important for seniors to participate because once they leave high school they will be exposed to all sorts of different people.

"I hope to see people talking to each other, not sitting in silence,'' said May.

All week, the goal will be to tolerate, embrace and celebrate diversity of all kinds - race, religion, ability, culture and social status. The week will kick off today with a presentation by Robert Harris from the National Conference for Community and Justice. He will speak about how to break down barriers.

Wednesday, students and faculty will prepare food for "A Taste of the World," which will be held after school.

Teachers will receive lesson plans with activities that ask students to identify social boundaries. Once identified, students will be asked to develop lists of strategies they can use to cross the boundaries.

And along Main Street in the school, a "Tolerance Wall" will feature stories of those who have experienced discrimination and those who have worked to end it.